Death Song
by sarina-chan
Summary: The first part in a long epic series. Meet Cecilia Komoriuta, better known as Shiuta (Death Song). Will the doctors' new play thing survive in the world of assassins?
1. Default Chapter Title

Death Song  
Chapter 1  
  
Duo sat in the darkness of the theatre. It was a simple mission. He was to assassinate some guy in the Romefeller Foundation during the second act of an Opera Gala. A shudder of doubt ran through the violet-eyed pilot as he read the program he had picked up on his way to his hiding spot. One of the performers in the second act was a girl about his age. Looking closer at the girl's name, he noticed that she had the same last name as the guy he was supposed to be killing. With shocked eyes, he shifted his attention to his target. The older man was nervous. His program was torn to shreds upon his lap, yet he wore the eternal smile that only a proud parent or grandparent wore. The girl must be his granddaughter or something. Sweat dripped down his cheek as he realized he would be killing this girl's relative. By the look on the man's face, he was a well liked relative. 'Can I do this?' he thought to himself. His hand shook as he reached for his gun and watched as the young girl emerged from the shadows of backstage.  
  
Her long, dark-brown hair was wrapped up into a French twist and her face was professionally made-up. She wore a black-red, vintage dress that showed off her figure. Gracefully, she approached the center of the stage and prepared herself for her first song. Her head was held high with confidence and her feet assumed an almost ballet-like position. As the symphony played the introduction, she closed her eyes and swayed with accompaniment. Taking a deep breath, she smiled and began her aria. Her voice was clear and fresh. Remembering what Quatre had told him about classical music, he guessed that she was a mezzo-soprano. She had a rich, full, yet moderately high voice. For a fifteen year old, she was really good. Duo found himself wishing the Arabian musician were there to witness the song.   
  
Before he knew it, the song was over. Suddenly ripped from his  
admiration, he eyed his target. The white haired man had initiated the  
standing ovation. He was certainly a proud grandfather. Taking aim, he tried to make his heart as cold as "the perfect soldier's." For a split second, he looked toward the girl still on stage bowing as "bravos" were sent her way. Her eyes sparkled and her lips widened into a broad smile in the direction of the nobleman. He waved and blew a kiss. She chuckled slightly and bowed once more.   
  
With one last bow, she turned and made her dramatic exit toward stage right. Now was his chance. He didn't want her to see the blood he was about to spill. Taking one last look at stage right, he noticed a pale figure behind the curtain. It was the girl. She had seen him and knew exactly what he was going to do. With sad eyes, she looked toward the old man in the third row and bowed her head. Confused, Duo stared at the young girl. She merely nodded as if she understood his motives and gave him permission to follow through. Surprisingly, the doubt surrounding his heart melted away as he took aim once more. Swiftly, he pulled the trigger. In a mess of chaos, the young woman ran to her grandfather's aid. Not once did she look in the killer's direction. He had done his job. She wasn't about to cause his mission's failure.   
  
His hands were shaking as he put away his pistol. What would happen to the girl now? The manner in which she accepted her grandfather's murder was incredibly unnerving. Did she have other family members? He didn't notice her looking at anyone else. Maybe the man he just killed was her only family? Suddenly, he felt as if his heart were about to disappear from his chest. His eyes widened with fear. Tears began to form, but never fell. 'Did I...Is she...I killed...I made her an orphan!' Backing away from the banister into the blackness of the shadows, he ran toward the rooftop exit.   
  
Slamming the door he sank to the ground. His shaking hands roughly grasped his scalp and hair as tears flowed freely down his face. The thought of forcing the same orphaned fate he had lived with upon another person tore through his mind. Removing his gun from it's customary location, he examined it in horror before throwing it across the gravel covered roof. He stared at it with disgust as it lay cold and menacing among the loose, light gray rocks. 'How could I do this to that girl?'   
  
Making up his mind, he unsteadily rose from the uncomfortable floor and slowly made his way back to the door. Taking a deep breath, he reentered the theatre. Like a phantom, he made his way through the chaos of the building. Several stretchers were being rolled out the front door. One carried the body of the nobleman, while the others carried panic stricken colleagues. His heart felt like lead. He had caused all this. Through the rush of emergency staff and screaming theatre goers, Duo found himself invisible to the masses. Soon he found himself facing the foreboding door of a dressing room. Inside the soft cries of a young girl brought the assassin to his knees. 'Should I really be doing this? I'm the last person she wants to see...aren't  
I?' Closing his eyes, he hesitantly knocked on the door. Normally, he would have picked the lock, but that didn't seem appropriate for this occasion.   
  
"Coming," her voice was unnaturally small and ragged from crying. It ripped his heart in two to know that her anguish was caused by him. Slowly, the oak door opened to reveal the reddened face of the night's diva. With solemn eyes, she looked about the hallway before ushering the boy inside. After closing and locking the door, she offered the long-haired teen a seat and loudly blew her nose.   
  
The awkwardness of the moment stuck to Duo like the humidity of a dense fog. He didn't know what to do now that he was in the girl's room. 'What do you say to the family member of someone you just killed?' For once in his life, Duo Maxwell was at a loss for words.   
  
"I...um...wasn't expecting you...I...didn't think I was...You're gonna kill me too. Aren't you..." Her eyes pleaded with the young man before her.   
  
"No...I...um...Look, I'm...I didn't know he had rel..."  
  
"He's...He wasn't a relative. He was my benefactor. I don't have a family. They died when I was little."  
  
"You mean I didn't..."  
  
"Is that why you came back? To see if you..."  
  
"I'm an orphan too..."  
  
"Oh...Everyone calls me Shiuta." She gave him a small smile and  
presented her hand.  
  
"I'm Duo..." They shook hands and exchanged shy smiles.   
  
"I'm sorry. I need to change. Do you mind if I leave you alone for a minute?"  
  
"No. It's okay." He watched as she picked up some clothing and  
stepped into a small closet-like room. Meanwhile, a new weight replaced the old as he realized that he had probably put her out on the street. He had killed her benefactor, the man that probably housed and clothed her. She had nowhere to go. Suddenly, he knew how Quatre felt whenever he blamed himself for everything. Once one weight goes away another soon replaces it.   
  
Duo got ripped from his thoughts as the curtain to the closet opened. Shiuta reentered the room wearing a pair of blue sleepy pants and a well-worn flannel shirt. With a sigh, she hung her dress up on a convenient rack and threw her shoes and other belongings into a duffel bag. With confident hands, she removed the bobby pins from her hair. After unraveling her well-sprayed French twist, she flipped her head upside down and shook a majority of the curl from her dark mane before attempting to brush out the impossible knarls. Duo's comfort level shot up as his eyes wandered over her now casual attire. She looked much more like someone his age now with the exception of the heavy make-up and dramatically curly hair. He smiled as his eyes fell upon her shirt. It was covered in make-up from past performances and several of the buttons were non-functional. Only about three of them worked, but she didn't seem to care that most of her torso was exposed. Sending him a weary smile, she gestured that she would only take a minute more. Pulling her still tangled hair into a make-shift pony-tail, she began to run some water. Within a few minutes, the heavy make-up was removed  
revealing her overly pale skin. He swallowed hard as he examined the dark circles under her eyes and the faint scars across her face. Once again she smiled and sat opposite him. Undoing her hair, she continued working out the knots as they continued to talk.   
  
"Sorry 'bout that."  
  
"It's okay...So...um...what happens now...for you I mean?"  
  
Sadly, she shrugged and denied the release of freshly forming tears. Before he knew it, Duo found himself offering the extra bed in the current safehouse. He didn't know why, but he felt responsible for her. If she needed a place to stay, he would give it to her. In fact, he felt so bad that he would have given her anything she wanted.   
  
"That's not necessary. You don't have to give me anything. I've  
survived on my own before. It's okay...really."  
  
"Please...I'm not gonna feel any better about this until I know you have some where to stay...unless you're living with..."  
  
"I can't stay there now. He had to force his family to let me stay. They see me as a bad omen."  
  
"Oh...Well then, I insist. You're staying with me."  
  
'What am I thinking? The other's are gonna kill me! Don't think about it. They'll get used to it.'  
  
"I can see you're as stubborn as me, so I'll go along with it. Thank you very much. I won't be a bother to you, or I'll try not to be. However, I have one request."  
  
"Anything you want."  
  
Her face assumed a worried, confused expression as she thought about what he had just said. "You're way too eager about helpin' me. You know that right?"  
  
"I...I...just feel really bad. Indulge me."  
  
She shrugged her shoulders, "Can we go back to Uncle Trembley's  
house and get some stuff, like underwear and toiletries?"  
  
"Sure!"  
  
"Thanks..." Solemnly, she picked up her bag and dress. She dreaded going back to that house and facing all those hateful, superstitious people.   
  
"Um...Sorry to ask this, but why do they call you Shiuta?"  
  
"I'd rather not talk about it right now...maybe some other time."  
  
Silently, he nodded and opened the door for her. With a shrug, she walked out into the darkened hallway.   
  
Suddenly, flashes of blinding, white light intruded Shiuta's eyesight. Her personal space was abruptly invaded by reporters and interviewers. Remaining indifferent, she pushed her way through the crowd. She was barely able to shove her things into her car before facing the massive chaos.  
  
"Don't you guys have something better to do with your time!!! Leave me alone!!"  
  
Her commanding presence and fiery eyes, however, were no match for the encroaching microphones and itching pads of paper. Without another word, she slammed her car door shut and threatened to herself that she would runover one of the trench-coat wearing bastards. Duo, with his black hat lowered over his eyes and his long braid securely tucked under his jacket, snickered as she tore through the streets toward her former home.   
  
When she approached the large estate, she noticed that every one of her few possessions had been thrown out into the freshly cut lawn. Her golden eyes, went dull as she picked up her dew soaked belongings.   
  
"I told him you were trouble, but he didn't listen to me."  
  
A young woman leaned against the white picket fence, hidden by the shadows of a nearby decorative tree. Shiuta lowered her head and allowed a tear to grace her lightly freckled cheek. Stepping from the shadows, the blond-haired woman glared, with cold, gray eyes, at the orphaned girl.  
  
"He wouldn't believe me. You killed him! You and your evil...aura!"  
  
"I didn't do it..." her voice was low, barely audible, "It wasn't my fault."  
  
"Like hell it wasn't! Your name even spells it out! Everything you touch dies, but why did it have to be daddy!!"  
  
Shiuta balled up her fists and fought the urge to cry. She was right. For all she knew, she was death itself. First her parents, then her brother and sister, and now her benefactor, they all died leaving her behind. Why did she always have to survive?  
  
Duo watched as the girl tormented herself. She had the same look in her eyes that he had when he began to call himself Shinigami. She was just like him!   
  
"So, who's next to die!"  
  
Shiuta's eyes flashed gold and her lips quivered with hate as she sent a menacing, icy glare at the middle aged woman before her. Slowly, she stepped toward her and placed a shaking hand on her shoulder.   
  
"If what you say about me is true, I'd watch your back." Her voice was cold and calm with rage. Her eyes were blazing with unimaginable hate and madness. "How do you know I'm not really what you say I am? You're accusations could be based on truth for all you know, ne Ayashii?"  
  
The blonde-haired woman shook with fear as she backed away from  
the threat. Stumbling over a small bush, she began to run toward the large, white mansion. Shiuta lowered her eyes, choking back tears, as she continued to haul her belongings to her car. Duo watched as the accusing woman ran toward her home shrieking, then switched his gaze to the mourning girl closing the trunk of her car. Suddenly, he was glad he had invited her to stay at the safehouse. There, he could help her through all this much better then if she were dealing with it on her own.   
  
"Should you be driving? I mean...going through that and all."  
  
"I'll be fine. Just tell me where to go." There was a dullness in her voice that could only be classified as being in "Heero Territory." The ride to the safehouse was silent except for the continuous beat of the radio and the occasional directions from Duo.   
  
  
Chapter 2  
An Unwelcome Guest  
  
Finally at her new temporary home, she parked the car and opened the trunk. Taking out her duffel bag and several toiletries, she followed the long-haired boy through the door. It wasn't much, but it was certainly comfortable. The place had everything one needed to survive and nothing more. 'It's perfect,' she thought to herself. A small smile crept upon her face as she allowed Duo to show her around. She was to sleep on the top bunk above a young man named Wufei and wondered when she would get to meet him. She even got her own little desk to put her lap-top and a few belongings. It was like being in the dorms during boarding school.  
  
"If you want, you can take a shower. I'm gonna get something to eat."  
  
"Okay..." She watched as he exited the sleeping quarters and entered the simple kitchenette. Rummaging through her belongings, she got out some shower stuff and some clean clothes. Leaving her bag in the corner, she tried to take up the least amount of space possible. She didn't want to inconvenience anyone. The only thing she left out in the open was her stuffed animal, which she put on her new bed. With that, she stepped into the shower room and proceeded to wash herself.  
  
* * *  
  
In the kitchen, Duo threw some leftovers into the microwave. He felt better knowing that he had helped Shiuta out, but silently dreaded the return of his fellow comrades. Almost on cue, Wufei trudged through the side door to see the rare sight of a worried Duo.   
  
"You're quiet." Pulling up a stool, he glared at the Deathscythe pilot with his cold black eyes. "Heero's back already?" The Chinese boy switched his attention toward the sound of the shower running.  
  
"No...he's not..." Duo coughed and lowered his eyes. He knew what was coming.  
  
"Then...who's...Duo," wufei's voice was like ice. The long-haired boy bit his lip and refused to look at his friend. Just then the shower turned off causing the determined young man to get off the chair and storm toward the bathroom.   
  
"Wait! Don't go in there!"  
  
"Why not!?" Sending a glare to his fellow pilot, he threw open the door to reveal a young woman about their age. Her hair was wrapped up in a towel and her body was barely covered. Eyes bright with shock, she found all she could do was stare at the intruding young man. His mouth dropped open and he found himself bowing profusely uttering apologies as he closed the door. Turning he tried to scream at the violet-eyed boy before him, but nothing could escape his lips. Cursing in his own language, he stormed out into the sitting room. Shortly after, Shiuta emerged from the steam filled bathroom fully wrapped in a towel. Her hair, now out of it's cover, stuck to her exposed skin. She had a look of fright across her face as she looked to her new friend  
for support. He merely bit his lip and exited the door to give her room to change.   
  
"Let me explain..."  
  
"You don't have to," he said as he loaded his gun.  
  
"Don't kill her please. She's been through enough as it is." Duo's eyes pleaded with Wufei's. If he could only explain, she wouldn't have to die.  
  
"Would you rather have Heero do it?"  
  
"Please, let me explain first." The pause in Wufei's movements gave the long-haired pilot the chance he needed to stall the girl's death.  
  
"You have five minutes." With that, Duo nodded and began to play with his braid as he explained the events that led up to her presence in their current safehouse. The widowed teen listened intently as his friend told him everything in one breath. Slowly, the girl in question approached the two young men. She had her bag in her hand and a sad, dull look in her eyes.  
  
"If you don't want me here, I'll leave. I'll be fine. I don't want to endanger any of you." Duo made an attempt to prevent her from going anywhere, but she shot him a commanding glare. "I said I'll be fine. I don't want anyone else to get hurt on my account. I'll just leave. Don't worry about me." That said, she silently exited the safehouse and drove into the night.   
  
Duo swallowed hard. She was blaming herself for the death of that nobleman. The accusing words of his family and that damned nickname had the same affect on her that his life had on him. She was detaching herself from people with the idea that she would mean their death. After shooting a glare at the Chinese pilot, he wandered outside the building aimlessly trying to figure out what to do next.   
  
* * *  
  
Shiuta stopped at a long red light when a tired old man took it upon himself to enter her car and sit in the passengers seat. His eyes had been replaced with mechanical goggles and his forearm looked like a claw. She tried to jump from the vehicle but his real hand lightly touched her knee causing her to stare in horror at her uninvited guest.   
  
"What do you want?!"  
  
"Relax...My name is Doctor Jesko. You may call me Doctor J. I am here to help you."  
  
She tensed under his touch and shook his hand from her knee. "Why should I trust you? Why are you gonna help me? And why the hell are you in my car!?" The van behind her honked loudly to get her to move. She cursed and pressed her foot to the gas pedel.   
  
"I have been watching you. I know why they call you Shiuta. I know someone else that goes by a similar name. He calls himself Shinigami. You know him as Duo."   
  
"What are you gonna do to Duo!?" She swerved the car to the side of the road and sloppily switched it's gears to park. With fire in her eyes, she glared at the intruder. "I am not gonna let him die! I barely know him! He doesn't have to die!"  
  
"You really think your friendship brings death, don't you?" his voice was calm, yet coarse from age. "I have an offer for you. I will give you shelter, if you work undercover for the peace of the colonies. You have a talent that can be used."  
  
"I will not become a pawn just so you can get your jollies!"   
  
"It's not for me. Consider your job to be to ease the mind of an enemy..."  
  
"...before they're killed. I see...become my namesake...cute. I don't think so." The thought of throwing the elderly man out the door crossed her mind as she seethed in the driver's seat. However, as her eyes surveyed the surrounding landscape, she noticed the impending danger she would be sending him out into. Her consience wouldn't allow her to do that to a man of any age.   
  
"You don't have much choice Shiuta. Where else will you go?"  
  
She internally gulped as she realized just how right he was. She didn't have anywhere to go. Looking about the drug infested street, she lowered her head and reluctantly gave in. Slowly, she turned the car back on and reved the engine.  
  
"Where do you want me to go?"  
  
"A wise decision my dear." 


	2. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 3  
A Reluctant Recruit  
  
With the aid of his cane, Dr. J escorted the reluctant Shiuta toward her seat. She refused to cry, but found it too difficult a task as a single tear slipped down her cheek. Her car had been stored within the shuttle and she was to be briefed on her training for her new job. As the two entered a small room, Shiuta was greeted by another strange looking man. He had an extremely long nose and a scar which surrounded his left eye.   
  
"Doctor G, we have a new recruit."  
  
"She doesn't look too willing doctor," the long nosed scientist lifted her chin to examine her face more. With a swip and an evil glare, she removed the annoyance from her skin.   
  
"She doesn't have a choice. This is Cecilia Trembley. However, she is more appropriately known as Shiuta. She is to be trained as a deceptive assassin."  
  
"Ah yes, I have heard of you, Shiuta. Didn't your benefactor die recently?"  
  
Lowering her head, she clenched her teeth together in the hopes of stifling the urge to throw the puny man. Her nails dug into her flesh as he chuckled at her hate.   
  
"You did this didn't you..." her eyes were yellow with fire and her nostrals flared with anger. "You had him killed didn't you! Answer me!"  
  
"This is true. Within the Romefeller Foundation he was more ruthless then you realize. Did you know that he ordered a massacre on the colonies?" Shiuta's eyes bulged with shock. She shook her head and sank to the floor.  
  
"No...no...He was always so nice to me...Why would he do such a  
thing? I don't believe it..."  
  
"Fortunately, we got to him before the order was given."  
  
"I don't believe it! I can't believe it!"  
  
Dr. J handed her a box of tissues as Dr. G placed his hand on her head so as to comfort her as much as he possibly could.  
  
"Child, you never realized that all his charity toward you was merely a publicity stunt. He didn't really care about you."  
  
Once again Shiuta's eyes became yellow with hate and pain, "What? And you do?! At least he was kind enough to me and showed me more respect then you ever could!"  
  
Dr. J knelt, as best he could, before Shiuta, "But we have only just met. You haven't given us a chance child." With his one whole hand, he stroked her cheek and moved her dark hair behind her ear. All her strength lost, she broke down. Tears streamed her face as the elderly scientist brought her to his chest, shushing her into a calming state. Shakily, she allowed him to hold her and pretend that he was a loving grandparent.   
  
"How can I give you a chance when you want me to kill people? I'm not a killer."  
  
"Neither is your friend, Duo, but he has killed more than you can imagine."  
  
With confused eyes, she stared into the cold metallic eyes of her new benefactor, "how can he not be a killer when he kills every day?"  
  
"Do you think he enjoys what he does? Of course not, but it is  
necessary. In order to claim peace within the colonies, the opressors must be killed. Think of it as getting rid of the bad apples. It's for the good of the colonies."  
  
"Kind of like...kill them before they kill you?"  
  
She felt a hand on her shoulder as the box of tissues, once again, was thrust into her hand. "Exactly..." Her eyes wandered from Dr. J to Dr. G. She knew what they were asking her to do, but she wasn't sure she had the strength to do it.  
  
"I can't do it. I can't get personal with someone I'm  
gonna...kill...That's what you're asking me to do, isn't it?"  
  
"Not necessarily. You are a performer. We aren't going to change that. However, we will train you to stall the enemy long enough for someone to carry out their mission. That is all you need to do."  
  
"I'm not gonna kill anyone? I'm just the decoy?"  
  
"Yes Shiuta. You don't have to kill anyone yourself."  
  
Dr. G smiled as she thought things over before switching his gaze to his collegue. They knew that she would do what they wanted her to. She didn't have any where else to go and she didn't have anything else to complain about that they didn't have an answer to. Finally, she frowned and reluctantly nodded her consent.  
  
"Very good child. Now, come with me. I want to show you  
something."  
  
Once again, Dr. J led the way as Shiuta followed, her head lowered. With the touch of a button, a door slid open revealing a large window. A clawed hand motioned for her to step forward and look through the thick glass. Surrounded by it's clear atmosphere, the blue planet peered back at her. It was so beautiful from space. Even though the planet had never welcomed her with open arms, she wanted to keep it safe.   
  
"It is also in danger. I can see you wish to protect it. By taking on this job, you will also be accomplishing that goal. You have made the right decision, Shiuta."  
  
"Beautiful..."  
  
* * *  
  
Within the shadows of the safehouse compound, Duo threw a stray  
stone out into the night. He wondered what Shiuta was doing now that she was on her own. 'Damn Wufei, why'd you have to scare her away? She  
needed our help and you had to make her life even worse. Damn you!'  
Shifting his gaze from the vastness of the horizen, he listened to the sound of covered up footsteps behind him.  
  
"Oi...Heero, what are you doin' out here?"  
  
"What did you tell her?"  
  
"Well, you get straight to the point, don't you?"  
  
"Just answer the question."  
  
"I didn't tell her anything. She figured I was an assassin, but I don't think she knows about the Gundams."  
  
"Hn..." Satisfied, Heero turned to leave his fellow pilot alone to his thoughts.  
  
"Hey Heero, stay awhile. I don't bite you know."  
  
The wing pilot faced his comrade with an unusual gentle expression on his face. Hesitantly, he sat beside the self-proclaimed Shinigami.   
  
"You're thinking about her aren't you?"  
  
"Yeah...I wonder what's she's doin'. Wufei shouldn't have scared her off. Now she doesn't have anywhere to go. She's probably sleeping on the street or something. I even tried looking for her in the town, but I couldn't find her."  
  
Heero placed an uncertain hand on the American's shoulder. He wasn't used to being kind, but right now the braided baka looked like he needed it.  
  
"If what you say about her is true, I'm sure she can take care of herself. She's probably fine. You're worrying over nothing."  
  
"You're not helping, but thanks for the effort."  
  
"Hn..." With that, the cobalt eyed boy rose from the ground and made his way back inside the safehouse. He had done his good deed for the day, for once. Leaning back, Duo stretched out on the grass. His eyes watched as a small light circled past the stars as most satalites did and wished for her safety.   
  
* * *  
  
Shiuta looked about the room she had recently been led into. She could hear the shuttle being repaired further into the compound. Not even bothering to ask which colony she was on, she stood in silence as Dr. J instructed one of his men to haul her belongings to her new room. With a toothy grin, he motioned for the young girl to step into an adjoining room.   
  
Her eyes went wide with shock. Never before had she seen something so beautiful. Lightly, she carressed the ivory. Her fingers examined the shiney, blackness of the opened top as her socked foot pressed the brass pedals. Sitting at the cushioned bench, she tentitively played her favorite chord. It was perfectly tuned. With a look of wonder, she stared at the mad scientist. His claw twitched as he made his way to a small button on the opposite wall. Laughing mischieviously, he pressed it. The wall slid open revealing a full library of sheet music, scores, and song books. Shiuta's eyes crossed as she stood from the black bench. Her fingers ran along the titles and composers. Her scrutinizing eyes scanned the shelves for rarities. To her amazement, many uncustomary scores were easily located, including the opera, Lakme. Her jaw dropped as she flipped through the pages to find her favorite song, "The Flower Duet." Turning, she stood speachless before the laughing doctor. He had found her weakness and was using the knowledge wisely.  
  
"I knew you'd like this room. Everything you need to carry out your missions is in this room, except for your computer. That is in your bed room," he said as he pointed to the door they had entered through. "I figured you would want to have that nearby."  
  
"How do you know so much about me?" her voice was concerned, yet not shocked.  
  
"We've been keeping an eye on you for quite some time. It wasn't till now that we were given the chance to get a hold of your talents."  
  
Shiuta nodded her understanding. She knew she should be upset over such a comment, but decided against it. It had always been her belief that when really bad things happen, they always have their benefits...for someone. When her mother died, she was partially relieved at not having to deal with the woman's insults and, as a result, gained a lot of self-esteem. When her father died, she was better able to live her own life without having someone control her every move. When her sister and brother died, she met Lord Trembley and was able to get noticed in the entertainment world. And when Lord Trembley died, she met Duo. She didn't really get to know him, but she felt like they understood each other...somehow. Now her tragedy is in meeting Dr. J, but she would find the benefit in having access to a mountain of music and a beautiful grand piano, not to mention a place to stay and food to eat.   
  
  
Chapter 4  
Mission Accepted  
  
Heero memorized his new mission before deleting the file. He was to assassinate a Romefeller nobleman in his home, during a dinner party. An informant would be present to keep the target occupied. His first task was to steal information from the man's computer files, then kill him. The informant was to keep the enemy out of the room while he worked.   
  
Heero checked his watch. He was to meet the informant in two hours for a briefing. He smiled as he remembered Dr. J's side comment.  
Apparently, this was the informant's first mission. He was instructed to be easy on who ever it was.  
  
* * *  
  
"Miss Komoriuta, we are here to protect you. We were instructed not to leave your side," the young soldier pleaded.  
  
She smiled and winked at the officer, "I understand that, but I'm going to change now and I don't want two handsome men to be in the room while I'm naked."  
  
The young man blushed and bowed before the performer. Grabbing his partner's arm, they exited to give the girl her space. Smiling slyly, she proceeded to remove her clothing.  
  
* * *  
  
Heero waited, within the darkness of the ventilation pipes, for the informant to give him the okay. Wearing only her underwear, she stepped in front of the grate and turned on the radio. His eyes were wide and his nose threatened to bleed as her freshly shaved legs stood before him.   
  
"You can come out now. They're gone."  
  
Removing the grate, Heero stepped into the small dressing room. He watched as she slipped into her red and gold, Chinese-style dress.   
  
"So, what's happening?" her voice became dark, devoid of emotion.  
  
"While you perform, I will sneak into the state room and download the noble's files. Then, I'll hide in his bed room. After the program, you have to get him into his room. Get him to stay there while you exit to the adjoining bath room. While you're in there, I'll kill him. When you return, react as if you didn't know anything about it. Do you understand?"  
  
Giving up on fastening the last two buttons of her dress, she nodded. Her eyes were downcast as if she wanted to abort the mission. Her lips quivered as she breathed a ragged sigh. She didn't want to do the job. That was obvious. Gently, Heero moved her hair over her shoulder and fastened the two remaining buttons.   
  
"I'm sorry. I guess I'll just have to get used to doing these missions. I don't like the idea of being involved with anyone's death."  
  
Circling to face her, he knelt and searched her eyes. She was afraid. He could tell.   
  
"Listen, we don't always like what we have to do, but we still have to go through with it. Don't let your fear get you killed. Wait till you get away from the mission before you react to your involvement. Getting yourself killed won't help achieve peace."  
  
Silently, she nodded and continued to get ready for her performance. She had to be strong. Years of practice would have to enable her to disregard her emotions, at least until she was safe to express them.   
  
Once again, she felt the warmth of her mission partner's hands on the back of her neck. He had found an ornate gold and ruby necklace on her vanity dresser and was in the process of fastening it.   
  
"Thank you. You didn't need to help me dress, you know," she smiled as she fingered the piece of jewelry.  
  
"I know..." his tone lacked emotion, yet it was gentle enough to soothe her nerves, causing her to smile.  
  
In one swift movement, he was back in the ventilation pipe. She  
watched his retreating figure, as she replaced the grate, and smiled. Turning, she approached the door as she put in her earrings.   
  
"Thank you for waiting outside gentlemen. You may come back in."  
  
"The accompanist is here Miss. Komoriuta, if you're ready."  
  
"I'll be ready in about one minute," she informed them as she applied her lipstick and grabbed her music and bottled water.   
  
Taking the arm of one of the officers, she was led to a separate room. Her escort nodded at his partner as they neared the door. The young man inspected the room for intruders then allowed the girl to enter. She bowed to the two men and requested that they stand watch outside while she practiced with the pianist.  
  
Once they left, she inspected the unknown male. He had clear, blue eyes and light, blond hair. Smiling, he presented his gloved hand. She accepted the friendly handshake as they exchanged names before getting down to work. Cautiously, he warmed her up to her natural high and low notes. His fingers flew across the keys. She decided she would hire him for other occasions. One by one, they reviewed her prepared songs.   
  
"Well Mr. Winner, you are truly the best accompanist I have ever worked with. I think I'm going to have to fire my usual man and take you on permanently."  
  
"Thank you...I don't get to do this very often. It's a pleasure working with you as well," he smiled as he absently played spontaneous melodies and chords.   
  
Chuckling, she looked over her music one last time. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the young man touching his ear and mumbling to himself. Smiling, she guessed who the other member of the conversation was.  
  
"Well, are you ready Miss. Komoriuta?" he asked as he gathered his music.  
  
"Yes. By the way, is he in place?" She smiled at his shocked  
expression.  
  
"Eh...yes he is."  
  
"Tell me Mr. Winner, are you really a Winner?" she giggled at the pun.  
  
"Yes I am. Is your name really Cecilia Komoriuta?"  
  
"Why, yes it is, but most call me Shiuta for reasons I don't wish to talk about."  
  
"I understand...after you miss," he said as he opened the door for her.  
  
* * *  
  
Heero smiled from his hiding place within the state room. So this was the girl Duo was talking about. Won't he be surprised.   
  
He was glad Quatre was able to join the mission. After reading that this was her first job, he figured she would need someone supportive to help her out of the building when she "found" the noble. The Arabian heir was the perfect man for the job. He was an expert in the field of music and fulfilling missions. Not to mention, he was the most sensitive pilot of the group. Heero guessed it was because of the fact that most of his family consisted of women. In any case, he would be able to help the girl out when the chaos started. 


	3. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 5  
Operations Commence  
  
Cecilia smiled as she bowed. Her first professional gig had been a success. Now, all she had to do was get the noble into his room. How was she supposed to do that without making herself out to be a whore. She had never believed in premarital sex and wasn't about to start.   
  
A firm hand gripped her arm, causing her to break from her train of thought. Turning, she saw the smiling eyes of her accompanist.  
  
"You did very well, Miss. Komoriuta. I'm sure you're very proud of yourself."  
  
"Yes, I am. Thank you Mr. Winner. Oh, and you may call me Cecilia," she lightly tapped the pocket of his tuxedo jacket playfully.  
  
"You are very welcome...Cecilia," he kissed her hand as he eyed the champagne tray passing by. Grabbing two glasses, he handed one to her and raised his for a toast.   
  
"Mr. Winner, we're not of legal age," her eyes were wide with shock.  
  
"You don't have to drink it, just use it as a prop," he chuckled, "Besides, we're not on earth. It's legal in the colonies."  
  
"Oh," she blushed as she took a slight sip. Making a face at the dryness of the alcohol, she set the glass on a table and forgot its existence. The blonde Arabian laughed and finished his glass.   
  
"By the way, how did you come by the name of Cecilia? It's very  
pretty."  
  
"Thank you. St. Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians in the Catholic faith. My grandma always knew I'd be a musician, so she named me when I was born, on Easter Monday."  
  
"Hn...I have a friend who's Catholic, or at least he looks like he is, but I don't think he practices."  
  
"I used to be diligent about going to Sunday Mass, but there aren't as many churches around nowadays, unfortunately."  
  
Quatre nodded as he noticed the distant sadness in the girls eyes. He recognized the look all too well.   
  
Suddenly, the silence was saved as a young man approached the  
conversing couple, "Miss. Komoriuta, I have been asked to escort you to  
Lord Itsuwari. He would like to discuss something with you."  
  
"Of course, thank you. Mr. Winner, we'll talk some more, later...Shall we?" she waved as she accepted her escorts arm. Quatre smiled and nodded elegantly. His eyes never left her retreating form as he touched his ear to speak to the man hiding in the shadows.  
  
* * *  
  
"We are beginning phase two, right on schedule."  
  
Heero adjusted himself in his hiding place as he acknowledged the soft tenor on the other line.   
  
"Keep an eye on her Quatre. I read the guys file. He's real bad."  
  
"Roger that, I'm a step ahead of you already."  
  
"Good, I don't want her to get too hurt on her first mission."  
  
"I understand. Quatre out."  
  
Heero reread the file he had printed out about the noble. Several sections really bothered him. Twice, the guy had been caught with an underage "escort" and once, he had been charged with sexual harassment toward a sixteen year old waitress. Of course, all three counts had been taken off his records because of his status, but that didn't mean a good hacker couldn't get a hold of the information. This guy was really bad news. Heero didn't want Cecilia to deal with him any longer then she had to.  
  
* * *  
  
"Gentlemen, here is our little performer now," he began to clap in the direction of the eighteen year old girl as she approached the group of noblemen. "Miss. Komoriuta, you look lovely this evening."  
  
"Thank you sir," she smiled as she bowed slightly.  
  
"Please, call me Robert." He offered her a glass of champagne with a glint in his eye.  
  
Politely, she waved her finger in front of the glass, "no thank you, I'm not too fond of the drink." The men laughed as the young lord set the glass on a nearby table.   
  
"Sir...Robert, you wanted to discuss something with me?" she prodded.  
  
"Mm," he swallowed, "Yes, I did. Come to my study with me. I told you I'd pay you as soon as you were done. It must be past your bedtime," he laughed.  
  
"I wouldn't know that sir. I don't keep a set bedtime. In fact, I probably stay up later then you," she teased as she accepted his arm.  
  
"Gentlemen, we will continue our conversation at a later time. Miss. Komoriuta and I have some business to settle," he called over his shoulder.  
  
Each noble raised his glass as the two left their company. Swallowing hard, her eyes searched the thinning crowd for her blonde friend. Unfortunately, he was no where to be found. The halls began to get darker as the young noble led her to a well decorated part of the mansion. She guessed she was entering his quarters.   
  
Opening the door for her, he escorted her into a grand room, which was dimly lit by artificial, oil lamps. It was a very romantic atmosphere, but Cecilia didn't feel the least bit comfortable within its depths. Looking about the room, she noticed that the study was actually an added, open-air section to his bedroom. Her skin crawled as she eyed the single rose on top of the decorative bed spread. He had been planning this. She knew it.   
  
She watched him as he stalked across the room and bent over the  
antique table to write her check. Dotting his signature, he turned to meet her eyes, an unreadable glint darting across his facial features. Striding toward her, he handed her the payment. She politely smiled, quickly curtsied, and made her way toward the door. Abruptly, she was stopped by a firmly gripped hand on her wrist. She froze, her lower lip trembling slightly.   
  
Hiding her fear with defiance, she turned to face him. He smiled at her hate-filled eyes as he backed her into the wall, grasping both her wrists in his large, gloved hand. With his free hand, he slowly removed the pins from her hair. He watched her dark mane fall around her pale face. Biting his glove, he slid it off his skin before running his fingers through the dark, brunette strands. Closing her eyes, she turned away from his touch. He chuckled lightly and stroked her cheek as if mocking her contempt. She refused to look into his lustful eyes, though he tried to coax her.   
  
"You aren't going to fight?" he whispered.  
  
"I won't give you the satisfaction," she growled through clenched teeth.  
  
"Very well then," he laughed as he wrapped his free arm around her waist and toted her toward the bed.  
  
A soft whimper escaped her lips when he laid his weight over her. A roaming hand traveled along the curve of her body as an unwelcome, soft kiss claimed her mouth.   
  
* * *  
  
Heero growled under his breath as he fingered his pistol, "get out of there fast, girl. I can't do anything till you're out of the room. Get out of there!"  
  
* * *   
  
  
Thinking quickly, she began to, reluctantly, kiss him back. He moaned softly, deepening the kiss. Throwing his tuxedo jacket on the floor, he released her wrists. Clenching his eyes shut, he ran his bare hands through her hair and caressed the sensitive areas around her neck. Hiding her intent, her eyes blazed open. In one swift motion, her knee made contact with his groin. As he fruitlessly made efforts to preserve his manhood, she rolled out from under him and collapsed to the floor.   
  
Clutching himself, he lunged at her, his face contorted with hate. Gathering herself, she crawled toward the bathroom. With a choked back cry, she slammed the door in his face and locked it. Falling to a sitting position, she leaned her back against the door and covered her face with her hands. Suddenly, he began beating on the door. With a yelp, she scooted as fast as she could to the opposite side of the room. Her eyes darted about the white-tiled walls to find the existence of two other doors. Quickly, she locked them as well and curled up in the corner, tears streaming down her face.   
  
* * *  
  
"Bitch, get your ass back in here! I'm not through with you yet!" he announced through the large oak door.  
  
"Yes, you are..." came a monotone voice behind him, along with the customary click of a pistol being prepared for fire.  
  
  
Chapter 6  
Aftermath  
  
  
Cecilia jumped when she heard the pistol being fired. She began to cover those sensitive, auditory organs as the sickening sound of blood splurting upon the door crawled up her spine. Suddenly, the red-stained door crashed open sending shards of wood every which way. Heero watched as the young girl rocked herself back and forth. Panic etched its way into his ever-intense eyes as he touched his ear, "Quatre, get your ass over here. She needs help."  
  
"He must have given me the slip. I lost track of her!"  
  
"That doesn't matter. Just...get over here!"  
  
She was shaking like a leaf during a hurricane. In one giant step, Heero was kneeling in front of her trying to steady her quivering body. The assassin hoped the Winner heir would get to them quick. He didn't know how to calm people. Nervously, he placed a warm hand on her shoulder. On cue, she fell into him, letting loose a torrent of not-so-silent tears. Blinking, he instinctively sat on the cold tiles and wrapped his arms around her shaking form.   
  
* * *  
  
Intensity flaring in his eyes, Quatre followed the sound of the girls sobs. As he entered the room, he noticed the articles of clothing haphazardly strewn across the floor and the mussed up bed spread. As if the man were still alive, he growled at the still corpse and stared with a look of pure hate. Stepping over the body, he witnessed "The Perfect Soldier" rocking in time with the frightened musician.   
  
* * *  
  
His intense, cobalt eyes took notice of the kind-hearted pilot as he cradled her like a mother would her child. Closing his eyes once more, he felt the other boys presence step nearer and kneel beside them.   
  
"You need to get out of here."  
  
Knowing cobalt orbs stared at the owner of the soft voice as he  
protectively nuzzled the nape of her neck. His callused hand continued to gently stroke her back. It was obvious to Quatre that Heero wasn't going anywhere. With a low grunt of acknowledgement, he left only to return shortly after with a servants tuxedo.   
  
"When you're ready, change into this."  
  
"Hai..."  
  
Golden eyes opened to numbly stare at her protector. Biting her lip, she leaned her head on his shoulder. By now, her body had stopped its violent shaking, yet a slight quiver still remained. His arms continued to wrap around her as his right hand lightly caressed her bare arm. Quatre watched the soldiers uncharacteristic ministrations with intrigue. He had never expected Heero to be so kind and gentle during a mission, or any other time for that matter.   
  
"I want out of here..." she breathed. The Japanese nodded and  
loosened his grip on her limp body. Carefully, she got herself to a standing position. Knowing full well that there would be questioning, she attempted to keep as much of the rapists clues on her person and devised a suitable lie to protect her friends. The one who had held her brushed past to change into the servants garb. With an exchange of nods, Quatre was sent to retrieve the authorities. The dark haired youth and the performer soon followed.   
  
Halfway down the cursed hallway, as the sound of angry nobles  
echoed about the mansion, the two actors curled up into a ball once again. As she continued to sob, she informed "the servant" of her lie. He nodded and handed her a handkerchief.   
  
Several nobles knelt before the young girl, questioning her on the past events. Many scrutinized her for following the young lord into his quarters, while others wreaked of polite concern.  
  
"He brought me to what he told me was his study to give me my  
payment for tonight's performance. After paying me, he pinned me to the wall and started touching me and tried to coax me and..."  
  
"Then what...?" an elderly gentleman prodded gently.   
  
She swallowed her tears and shamefully continued, "he forced me to the bed and started kissing me. Somehow, I got away and crawled into the bathroom. He kept pounding on the door and threatening me. Then, I heard another voice in the room. He threatened Lord Itsuwari and shot him. Next thing I remember, I heard someone else enter the room and try to catch the assassin," she turned to acknowledge the unwavering eyes beside her, "Then, he kicked open the door and came to my aid. A little later, Mr. Winner found the two of us huddling in the bathroom and ran to get you. I'm sorry I..."  
  
"Hush child, it wasn't your fault. Thank God Lord Itsuwari didn't get any farther. To harm an innocent such as you is not the work of a true noble," the elderly noble smiled as he wiped a tear from her reddened cheek.   
  
"Thank you..." was her faint reply.  
  
"I hate to say this, but that assassin must have been sent from above to protect this young girl. Gentlemen, we will not send out a search party for him. He has saved this girls innocence and deserves his freedom. As for you young man," he turned to stare at the servant comforting the ashamed girl, "you deserve a reward as well. Thank you for coming to her aid the way you did."  
  
Heero nodded as he helped Cecilia rise from the floor. The older man held his arm out to steady the girl as he led her to her transport.  
  
"Don't fear Miss. Komoriuta, I will send this young man with you on your journey back to your home. Reward him as you see fit."  
  
"Thank you Lord Yanagi. Thank you so much..."  
  
"It was my pleasure little one. Eh...Young man, could you please retrieve Miss. Komoriuta's belongings?"  
  
"Hn..." Heero bowed slightly and exited to Cecilia's dressing room.  
  
After dismissing the other guests, Lord Yanagi kissed the young girls hand. "Miss., I am sorry you had to deal with such a grave crime tonight. A lady such as yourself shouldn't witness it, let alone survive it. I suggest you reward that young man well...for saving your life."  
  
Innocently, she stared at the older gentleman as he smiled knowingly. With a slight bow, he left her side. Shortly after, her mission partner entered carrying her bag of belongings. Silently, he sat opposite her and waited for the limousine to start moving.  
  
Quatre opened the door and sat on the crimson velvet seat. He eyed both his fellow passengers with concern. They were being too quiet. Cecilia simply fidgeted with a dark strand of hair, staring at the young man opposite her, while Heero silently stared out the window, his chin resting upon his knuckles. With a loud sigh, the Winner heir played with his white gloves nervously as he followed Heero's example of staring out the window at the passing cars.   
  
"Lord Yanagi knew it was you who killed him..."  
  
"Hn..."  
  
"He won't say anything about it though. He really sees you as a hero," she smiled warmly, but quickly suppressed it once she noticed the lack of a response.   
  
"Thank you...you didn't have to comfort me...but you did. If there's anything I ca..."  
  
"Don't worry about it."  
  
Cecilia found her red slippers intriguing as she stared at the floor. She wanted to thank him for what he had done, but what could she do. Obviously, he didn't want anything...  
  
Quatre noticed the turmoil festering within the girls eyes and smiled. Lightly, he touched her hand and shook his head as if to say, 'don't even try. Anything he did to comfort you back there, he'll just deny as having any importance later on.'  
  
Sinking into her seat, she sighed. Suddenly, she didn't feel like being around people. She just wanted to go home, where ever that was. 


	4. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 7  
Remember Me?  
  
"Heero...you don't need to come with me to the colony," she attempted a smile as she fastened her safety belt.  
  
"I'm not going there for you. I need to see the doctor," he folded his arms and stared out the window.  
  
"Oh...never mind then..." she sighed, resting her head on her hand.  
  
Scanning the outside of the shuttle, she noticed another passenger boarding. He had shoulder length black hair that had been pulled back into a simple pony-tail. She couldn't see the rest of his face, but she guessed that he was quite handsome. Her eyes lowered. She hoped he wasn't like the noble she had just dealt with.  
  
As he entered the shuttle, she took note of his navy blue tank top. Her favorite mythical animal twisted it's way across his chest. Silently, she wondered where she could get a similar shirt. He turned, his black eyes staring at her in return. 'Isn't that the guy that kicked me out of Duo's safe house? What was his name? Wufei? Yeah, I think that was it,' She thought to herself as he scowled at her.  
  
"What are you staring at woman?" Her eyes widened at the cynical fluctuation in his voice when he said the word 'woman'. It was rather insulting, but, seeing the slight bulge of a dagger through his clothing, she decided not to say anything about it.  
  
"Your shirt...I like it. I'm fascinated by dragons and the legends that surround them. I like doing research on stuff like that," she smiled.  
  
He attempted to glare at her, but didn't succeed as well as he had liked. Obviously, he hadn't been expecting that kind of answer. Cecilia smiled at the thought that she had thrown him off a little. Then, quickly continued to look out the window. All she wanted was a long shower...a very long shower.  
  
"Heero...how did the mission go?" he whispered in the pilot's ear. Sending a wary eye to the extra passenger, he reverted his attention back to the Japanese.  
  
"It succeeded and it failed..." Heero watched the brunette stare out the window. He noticed that her expression was distant, if not empty.   
  
"How can it be both...and why are you talking out loud. There's some one else on board," the Chinese pressed as he followed the gaze of the cobalt eyes.  
  
"The noble is dead..."  
  
"Then you completed the mission."  
  
"The informant was forced to pay a large price," his expression  
softened a smidgen as he witnessed the girls eyes drop and her lips quiver at the mention of her involvement.  
  
Wufei stared at the obvious 'informant' for a long while. His eyes grazed over every inch of her person. She still wore her gown, which had signs of a struggle etched over its wrinkles. Her hair was a mess, tangled with splintered wood. Her make-up had been smeared, especially her red lipstick. He took a wild guess at what Heero meant by his saying she had to pay a price.   
  
"She was..."  
  
"The guy didn't get too far to cause any permanent physical damage, but still..."  
  
"Right..."  
  
"I would appreciate it if you two wouldn't talk about me in third person when I'm right across from you," her voice was cold, completely void of all emotion.  
  
"Yes...he raped me and I managed to kick him in the balls before he removed any major articles of clothing from my body," she didn't even bother to look up from the window as she spoke. She could still feel the two men staring at her ragged form, her eyes didn't feel like seeing it for themselves.  
  
"It wasn't your fault," Heero's gaze never wavered as she stiffened at his response.  
  
"Of course it wasn't...I was merely following orders and he was a pervert," for all she knew she could have been giving a speech instead of discussing her emotional well-being.  
  
With a growl, she whipped her head around to glare at the Chinese's judgmental eyes, "Stop staring at me Wufei! I'm not in the mood for it!"  
  
"How do you know my name?"  
  
"You don't remember me...do you...You walked in on me when I was getting out of the shower and kicked me out of the safe house," she was amused to see a hint of reddened shock fold its way across the young man's face. If he didn't recognize her earlier, he sure as hell recognized her now.  
  
"How did you...Why are you...?"  
  
"Spit it out Wufei. My patience is dwindling pretty fast too, or should I guess at what you're trying to ask," her eyes flashed gold as she stared down the future head of the Chang clan.  
  
"Guess away..." Heero finished Wufei's thought for him seeing as 05's pilot was speechless.  
  
"I was recruited and convinced, shortly after you kicked me out, by Doctor's J. and G. Seeing how you're here right now, I'm thinking my next mission will be with you. I have a feeling that I'm going to be having an assignment with each of you before the end of the month. I just hope they don't end up following a pattern of child pornography and promiscuity, but I have a strong feeling that they are," she turned to face the window again, trying to hide the excess moisture in her eyes. She had hoped to keep her virginity until she found love and got married, but she doubted that would happen with the missions she figured she would be getting regularly. She just prayed her innocence wouldn't be lost due to rape.  
  
"Well, since you seem to have it all figured out, what do you think they'll have us do next?" Wufei's scrutinizing attitude had returned.  
  
"I don't know. Mo..."  
  
"Most likely another assassination job," Heero butted in.  
  
"What he said..." she cast a glance at her last mission partner.  
  
* * *  
  
"Wufei, good to see you," the bald scientist smiled as the widower exited the shuttle.  
  
"Cut the crap. Why did you ask me to be here?" He hoped the "good" doctor didn't crack any comments about his dead wife. He didn't feel like fighting.  
  
"Always willing to get down to business as soon as possible. Come with me...You too miss.," he said turning around.  
  
* * *  
  
"You want me to what?!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.  
  
"I know you don't want to do this, but it's the perfect cover...and you do like to dance...don't you?" Dr. J prodded.  
  
"Well, yeah, but not this kind of dancing!" she stared at the mound of leather in front of her with disgust. "Besides, I was never a good dancer. I don't even know how to be sexy! I can't do this! I told you what happened during the last mission. What if the same thing happens at this one?! I do not want to lose my virginity to rape!"  
  
"I understand that. That's why Wufei is here, to protect you. He will go as your body guard. All these dancers have someone to keep the men in line, so I've been told."  
  
"I feel so cheap...This is so degrading! Gah!" she screamed as she slammed her fist into the wall.  
  
"One dance and, I guarantee, you're out of there. Maybe, you won't even have to do a whole dance," he almost pleaded.  
  
With two fingers, she picked up the black article of clothing. She admitted, she had always wondered what black leather would look like on her, but she never imagined it would be in this kind of situation. Inspecting the garments, if you could call them that, further, she nearly fainted at how small they were.  
  
"Alright, I'll do it, but I gotta get new clothes. You guys gotta check up on what size I am or something. I'm no where near this small. Remember, I have those thick, Eastern-European bones. I couldn't get down to a single digit size if I tried to go anorexic," she threw the lump of soft, fake, cow flesh on the table before her.  
  
"Sounds good...Wufei, you go with her. You two need to talk out some details together," Dr. J. stared at the disgusted, Chinese youth with a large, toothy grin. "Here is the file with all the information you need."  
  
  
Chapter 8  
Gender Wars  
  
He tried to remain indifferent as she whispered for him to come into the dressing room. She was right, she had no idea what was sexy. They had spent the last fifteen minutes walking through the lingerie department trying to find something comfortable and tempting for her to strip down to. Of course, it didn't help that she hated shopping almost as much as any male did. Ten minutes in a store was her limit, most of the time.  
  
"Buy it...It looks...okay..." he just wanted to get out of there.  
  
"I feel so vulnerable and gross..." she scratched at her skin. "Are you sure it's okay?"  
  
"Look...if the situation were different, I'd be jumping you. Does that make you feel better? Can we go now?" he sighed in exasperation and turned toward the mirror, but decided against it and exited the changing cubical.   
  
Stepping from it, he reached into his inside pocket and picked out a lock of black hair. He stroked it gently and whispered to himself, "I'm sorry Nataku..."  
  
* * *  
  
"You keep eating like that and you're never gonna be able to fit into that underwear," he criticized.  
  
"Hey, give me a break. I'm depressed. Besides, this is fat free ice cream," she pointed the spoon at him as she spoke.  
  
"I don't like doing this either, but it's not like we have a choice. Come on, we still have to get the actual clothing," he grabbed her wrist, but she didn't move.  
  
"Wait, shouldn't we go over some of this stuff?" she fought to regain control of her arm.  
  
"I don't want to risk it till we get back to the lab."  
  
"Well then, can we just talk for a little bit?"  
  
"What is there to talk about?"  
  
"I don't know. I'd just like to know who I'm working with."  
  
"Woman..." he growled.  
  
"I don't need to be reminded of my gender, Wufei," she finished off her ice cream.  
  
Rubbing his temples, he continued to growl, "we'll talk when we get back to the lab. Right now, let's just get your dancing gear...woman," he threatened.  
  
"Don't test me China boy," she stood from her seat and brushed past him, entering the nearest "anorexia nervosa" store, as she liked to call it.  
  
* * *  
  
Stepping from the dressing room, she examined herself in the mirror. She wore a bright, red, top that tied at the bottom. Her black, leather, wrap-around, mini skirt would be equally easy to remove during a dance. 'I can't believe I'm thinking about stuff like this,' she thought to herself as she turned to see how the too high skirt reacted to her, in her opinion, enlarged ass. She had long ago decided not to wear shoes. Decorating her feet would be kinda fun. She always did like the accessories more then the clothing. She could spend hours in a trinket shop, which was almost as much time as she'd spend in a nature or museum store.  
  
"It looks fine. Let's go," came a familiar voice behind her.  
  
Turning to approach the voice, she stared down at him, "does it really look alright, or are you just trying to leave?"  
  
"If Winner saw you in this, he'd jump you. Does that answer your question?"   
  
"Yes...thank you," she sighed as she returned to the dressing room to change back into her comfortable clothing. One more store and she'd be done. It was time to look for trinkets. A smile spread across her face as she envisioned her mission partner dragging her out of the store by a belt loop.   
  
* * *  
  
"Are you ready to go yet?" he closed his eyes and breathed a long sigh.  
  
"Almost...Does this match, do you think?" she held the fashionable, ankle ring and bracelet combo up to her foot.  
  
"It's fine...Come on."  
  
She eyed him spread out on the floor with his eyes shut, "you're not even looking. How do you know if it looks okay?"  
  
"I don't give a damn. Let's just go. I'm tired," he whined.  
  
"Hey, I'm the one that has to look good. Humor me man!" she glared at him with her hands on her hips.  
  
"What did you just say?" he looked as if he were about to kick the living shit out of her, but she didn't care.  
  
"If you get to call me woman, I get to call you man in the same  
condescending tone," she stood her ground.  
  
A flash of red surged through his eyes, but it quickly vanished. He couldn't do anything to her. She was too valuable to the Mad Five at the moment. He would just have to find some other way to teach her a lesson in manners. 


	5. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 9  
An Unwanted Lesson  
  
Heero tried to ignore the strong, sultry beat that filled the hallway as he made his way to her room. What was she doing in there? Not even bothering to knock, he opened the door. She stood in front of a long mirror wearing a black, see through bra and a half removed, leather, mini skirt. Apparently, she hadn't noticed his entry because she continued to strip. Her movements were tentative and unpracticed, yet smooth and , he hated to admit it, tempting.   
  
She spun in a smooth, sensuous circle and closed her eyes. It gave her a strange sense of security to be surrounded by blackness instead of looking in the mirror. Loosening up slightly, a sexy, innocent, yet evil smile crossed her lips. She couldn't believe she had to do this. It went against everything she believed in. Not to mention the fact that she felt dirty enough because of her encounter with the noble. The smile disappeared and her eyes became dark and impassive as her hips rolled to the music.   
  
Suddenly, she heard a chair tip over next to the door of her room. She became alert, grabbed her robe, and tried to cover her mostly naked body.   
  
"Uh..."  
  
"Heero!" she gasped as her attempts to hide her skin failed miserably as a result of her flustered nerves.  
  
The said pilot's eyes were wide and his face had taken on a reddish glow. Quickly, he lifted the fallen chair off the ground and sat down to regain his composure.  
  
"I was told to give you a message from the doctors," he refused to look at her so that she could put some clothes on.  
  
"Oh...Why did they send you?" she tried to hide her embarrassment as she picked up the sheet of paper.  
  
"I don't know...Are you dressed now?"  
  
"Yes...thank you for turning away."  
  
Her eyes skimmed the page. Shaking her head, she read it more  
carefully a second time.   
  
Cecilia,  
  
It has been brought to my attention that you might not know the most important skill to pulling this mission off. It is also apparent that the young man that delivered this message to you saved your life. He needs to be properly thanked and you need to learn how to use your attributes to your advantage. I believe the mission we are asking of you is obvious.  
  
Dr. G--  
  
  
PS: I would hate to see you living on the streets again if this mission fails.  
  
  
Suddenly uncomfortable, she pulled her robe tighter across her chest and swallowed hard. Her golden eyes wandered toward Heero. Fighting for control, she refused to scream.  
  
"You have your information. Good-bye," he slowly stood.  
  
"Heero," she grabbed his arm, "did you read the note?"  
  
"Hn..." he nodded, "They want you to have sex with me."  
  
Her fist crumpled the letter as she laughed cynically, "I'm surprised you aren't accepting the mission."  
  
Turning toward her, he lunged and pinned her to the wall, "I don't agree with what the doctors are having you do, but I will be happy to oblige if you want me to."  
  
She slipped out of his loose hold, "thank you for giving me the choice."  
  
Snarling, she stole his gun and made her way toward the door.  
Knowing full well what she was about to do, he didn't bother preventing her from robbing him of his fire-arm.  
  
*This ain't a song for the broken hearted*  
  
She slammed her door shut and set an intense pace down the hallway.  
  
*No silent prayer for the faith departed*  
  
The silver cross her mother gave her brushed against her skin as she turned the corner.  
  
*And I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd*  
  
Seeing the pistol in her hand, ground crew workers dodged from her path. The flaring glare in her eyes said it all.  
  
*You're gonna hear my voice  
When I shout it out loud*  
  
"Wufei!" she pounded on the door.  
"Go away! I'm changing!" he dismissed from within the room.  
  
*It's my life  
It's now or never  
I ain't gonna live forever  
I just want to live while I'm alive (It's my life)  
My heart is like an open highway  
Like Frankie said  
I did it my way  
I just wanna live while I'm alive, It's my life*  
  
Not bothering to wait, she kicked open the door to reveal the Chinese youth standing in his underwear. Wufei's shock prevented him from dodging her hand as she leapt toward him and grasped his neck. cocking the gun, she pointed it straight at his temple.  
  
*This is for the ones who stood their ground  
For Tommy and Gina who never backed down  
Tomorrow's gettin' harder make no mistake  
Luck ain't even lucky  
Got to make your own breaks*  
  
"What the hell did you think you were pulling when you told the  
doctors that I didn't know how to be a sex object?" she spat at him.  
  
"I didn't want the mission to fail because you don't know how to be a woman," he replied calmly.  
  
"Do you have any clue what they wanted me to do because of your  
little concern?" she dug her nails into his flesh.  
  
"They instructed me to throw myself at Heero for the sake of learning how to be a sex toy! This is my virginity they're playing around with and I'm not gonna stand for it. It's all because you told them I don't know how to be sexy!" she released his neck and shoved the note in his face for him to read.  
  
*It's my life  
It's now or never  
I ain't gonna live forever  
I just wanna live while I'm alive (It's my life)  
My heart is like an open highway  
Like Frankie said  
I did it my way  
I just wanna live while I'm alive, it's my life*  
  
With her jaw clenched shut, she kept the gun aimed at his head as the words on the note began to sink in. Much to her surprise, he didn't have the reaction she had hoped.  
  
"I take it you didn't accept your mission?" he calmly grinned.  
  
"I'm not gonna have sex with someone I barely know. I don't care if it supposedly helps promote peace. Letting someone use me like I'm a piece of meat isn't worth it!" she held her ground.  
  
"Everything has its sacrifices," he approached her.  
  
"This is a sacrifice I'm not willing to make," she responded through her teeth.  
  
*Better stand tall when they're calling you out  
Don't bend, don't break, baby, don't back down*  
  
Wufei lunged for the gun while Cecilia stood her ground. As they struggled, the echo of a shot rang out in the computer generated night. The two stared as pieces of plaster fell to the floor before continuing with their wrestling match for the pistol.  
  
*It's my life  
It's now or never  
I ain't gonna live forever  
I just wanna live while I'm alive (It's my life)  
My heart is like an open highway  
Like Frankie said  
I did it my way  
I just wanna live while I'm alive, it's my life*  
  
Finally hitting the gun away from the raging woman, Wufei realized what kind of position he was in. A thought drifted into his mind causing his shorts to tighten slightly, but he shook the effects away. This girl was too pissed and stubborn to handle the proposal his mind had whipped up.   
  
Breathing a sigh, he told his body to get up off the ground, but he didn't move. His face showed no emotion as he found himself pinning the girl to the ground and inching closer to her ear.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?" she glared.  
  
"How can I be sure you didn't really want to do this mission with me?" he whispered.  
  
Trying to hide the shiver running down her spine and trying to ignore the bulge coming from the vicinity of Wufei's boxers, she growled, "get off me...NOW!"  
  
'No! Please not again...I can't take this twice in a row!' her mind panicked.  
  
'What am I doing? She just had a gun to my head and I'm wondering if she wants to do me? This is insane! It's not logical,' he hid the panic in his eyes, 'I'm scaring her. Why am I doing this?'   
  
Rolling off of her, he scooted back against the wall and hugged his knees to his chest. He stared as she continued to lay on the floor with her arms outstretched as if she had been nailed there. Her eyes were wide with shock and her skin had taken on a greenish hue.   
  
As he ran his fingers through his loose hair, he watched her for signs of life. She wasn't moving and her robe was half open. Fear escaped from his eyes as he imagined himself being prosecuted for rape.   
  
'Why did I do that? I wasn't even thinking about her sexually either. It was like I became possessed. The minute I gained control I wanted more of it. I did want to teach her a lesson for humiliating me at the mall earlier today, but not like this...not like this...' he watched her breath with helpless eyes.  
  
Note:  
"It's My Life" is by Jon Bon Jovi.  
  
  
Chapter 10  
Recalling the past  
  
Cecilia curled up into a ball to try to calm her nauseated stomach. She could feel Wufei stare at her from across the room. He was afraid. She could tell. Though he would never admit it, he was afraid.  
  
"Why..." she asked, her voice muffled by her hands.  
  
He mumbled something incoherently to the effect that he didn't know and shrugged.  
  
Pulling himself off the floor, he retrieved a waste basket from the bathroom and placed in front of her. She stared at it, then at him.  
  
"You look like you're gonna throw up," he curtly responded before grabbing his clothes and reentering the bathroom.  
  
She sat up and brushed a dark strand away from her face as she hugged her midsection. Scooting over to the wall, she used it as a support to lift herself off the floor. In an effort to regain her composure, she rewrapped her robe and rubbed her face.  
  
Silently, she made her way toward the door. She wanted out of the room. She needed some fresh air. Something to get her mind off the recent events.  
  
Suddenly, she heard the waste basket get picked up. She stopped short and attempted not to look flustered.  
  
"Here," a can of Coke was thrust in her hand, "it'll settle your stomach."  
  
"Thank you..." she took the soda and sipped at it.  
  
"Look...I'm about as clueless as you are as to what just happened. I don't know why I did it. I was thinking one thing and doing something else. Okay," he plopped himself on his bed opposite her.  
  
She turned, her eyes blazing, "and that's supposed to excuse you?"  
  
"No. There is no excuse for my actions. I am merely giving reason for my madness," he answered truthfully.  
  
'Call me crazy, but I believe him. If he really wanted to...do what he just did...he would have been more deliberate about it and probably wouldn't have stopped the way he did. He looked scared, like he didn't know what just happened,' she thought to herself.  
  
"I have often been told that I'm too lenient on people, but somehow I believe you. You are forgiven Wufei. Though it might take a while for me to trust you, I won't bring it up to haunt you or anything. You have my word," she presented her hand.  
  
He shook it and offered her a seat. She sat down and was relieved to see he was practically sitting across the room from her. Nervously, she looked around for something to talk about.  
  
"Do you want to get out of here? I think we need to talk ourselves to peace," he offered.  
  
Smiling, she nodded, "I agree. Let me get changed first."  
  
He threw a pair of white pants and a blue shirt at her and smiled, "there's a brush in the bathroom if you want to use it."  
  
* * *  
  
They were silent as they were seated in the restaurant. The waitress watched them carefully.  
  
"So Shanda, what do you think about those two?" the dark haired bus boy asked.  
  
"The girl looks like she's been cryin' or somethin' and he looks kinda pissed. I think there's gonna be a break-up tonight. I have a feelin' we're gonna have to prepare a seat at the bar for one of 'em hehe," she guessed, "poor girl...I wonder what happened. He's kinda cute too in a stick-up-the-ass kinda way."  
  
* * *  
  
"Why did you forgive me so quickly?" he asked the glass of water in front of him.  
  
"I'm always too quick to forgive. It's a habit...good or bad...I don't know," she chewed on a piece of ice.  
  
"Hn..." he took a sip of the cold liquid and stared as her finger made designs out of the water rings on the table, "then...you're a trusting fool."  
  
"Maybe...but at least I know how to trust. I've noticed that you and the other pilots don't...That's kinda sad."  
  
"Trusting can get us hurt."  
  
"True, but so can not trusting. Sometimes you can't do everything on your own, or do you think you're better off alone...for the rest of your life?" she bluntly asked.  
  
He didn't acknowledge her question as visions of his wifes death rummaged through his mind.  
  
"Sorry for the wait...Can I get you guys somethin' to drink?" the waitress barged in.  
  
"I'll have some hot tea please...oh and some more water?" Cecilia smiled.  
  
"Same..." he didn't bother to look up.  
  
"Okay...I'll get those to ya," her voice was too cheery for the situation.  
  
She smiled as the waitress left them again before returning her attention on her date, if she could call him that.  
  
"Wufei...talk to me," she touched his unsteady hand.  
  
In a rush, he swiped at her and shook as he tried to regain control.  
  
"Who did you lose?" she narrowed her eyes and scowled.  
  
"I don't want to talk about this," he growled.  
  
"Fine...pick a new topic," she sat back in her booth, crossed her arms over her chest, and waited for a response.  
  
He glared at her, 'she looks so much older now...almost like she's an older sibling trying to help. She's genuine about helping me. Why? What does she get out of it?'  
  
She cocked an eyebrow when he still hadn't responded, 'does this kid think that I have to have a reason to help him out? I don't believe in conditional relationships Wufei and I'm not gonna move a muscle until you start the conversation. I can wait as long as you can. Believe me...'  
  
"How old are you?" he had to know.  
  
"18...How old are you?" she laughed internally at his small talk.  
  
"15..." he blinked.  
  
'She's older then we expected her to be, maybe it's the attitude...or the freckles.'  
  
"Why are you trying to be my psychiatrist?" he pressed.  
  
"It's what I do best...besides sing. People have come to me for advice since I was little. I guess 'cause I've been through almost everything...at least in their book. I think I've had a pretty damn good life compared to most, but people are still shocked when I tell them mine. Go fig'..." she shrugged.  
  
"Like what do people come to you for advice for?" she noted the heavy sarcasm in his voice.  
  
"Well, if girls have boy friend trouble...I seem to be able to help even though I've never had a boy friend. They say I'm more logical then the person going through it. I don't know. Sometimes I get heavy stuff though. One girl came to me for advice about her mom. I'm an expert in parental advice. She just found out that her mom had cancer and wanted to know how to deal with it. My mom had a lot of different types of cancer, so I knew how to deal with it and I was able to give her advice. I guess I just have a knack for it. People say I'm nonjudgmental and that's what makes me a good person to talk to. That and I actually listen to people and put myself into their shoes,"  
she rested her elbows on the table and chewed on another piece of ice, "if I haven't been through it, I can at least imagine what it would be like to go through it. I have a good imagination."  
  
"How did your mom get cancer?" he disregarded the waitress bringing the drinks.  
  
"Do you guys know what you want to order?" she announced.  
  
"I'll have a turkey club with fries," she folded up her menu and smiled.  
  
"Same..." he replied automatically.  
  
"Okay...I'll get those orders going," she wrote it down and padded over to the computer.  
  
"Um...My mom was always real sick and some of her medication were carcinogens. She had skin cancer constantly and even had to get her kidney removed. That's when she went on dialysis. After that, she started to suffer from malnutrition and eventually died of respiratory failure, kidney failure, heart failure, infection, and just plain being too thin. I was the first person to see her die because I watched her heart beat its last. She was so thin, I could see it pumping..." she bluntly told him as if she were broadcasting the news.  
  
'Her eyes are so dead right now. A minute ago, they were so full of life. She needs just as much help as the people who come to her for advice. Gods...she's just like Duo...' he tried to prevent his eyes from widening.  
  
"It's okay...I've gotten over it. My mom and I weren't real close. I think it's 'cause of the steroids she had to take, but I'm not sure," she stated matter of factly.  
  
"When did she die?" he continued to press his luck.  
  
"Three years ago," she sipped her tea.  
  
"What about your father...I noticed the note said you once lived on the street."  
  
"Well...about a year after my mom died...my dad started dating  
someone. She was real nice...a lot nicer to me than my mom was. Have you ever heard of the crash of 194?" she asked.  
  
"Yes..." he thought he knew what was coming.   
  
It was a horrible crash. A civilian shuttle was mistaken for a rebellion owned craft and shot down. It lost control and ran into the airport it was supposed to be landing at. Hundreds of civilians died that day.  
  
"I was the only survivor. The only reason I lived was because my dads girlfriend protected me and my dad protected both of us. My sister, her fiancé, and my brother were at the airport when it hit. They died too. Rescue teams didn't find me and concluded that there were no survivors. I didn't know where to go, so I had to live on the streets," again her eyes grew dull.   
  
'...Damn...She's exactly like us. Tragic history and a search for peace of mind.'  
  
"We shouldn't be talking about me though. Let's switch the subject," she gulped the last of her water nervously.  
  
'I'm not as important as you guys are. You need more help than I do. Whatever has happened to me doesn't matter. It's not important...' she reminded herself.  
  
"What's gonna happen with this mission?" she whispered and leaned in to him.  
  
"We shouldn't be talking about that here. Someone might hear us," he kept his voice low.  
  
"Then, what do you want to talk about? Obviously we don't want to talk about our pasts or the mission, so what do we talk about?" she glared at him.  
  
"What are you gonna do about the note? You know the doctors will follow through with their threat if they find out you're still a virgin and Heero's not gonna lie about it either."  
  
"I know...I'm gonna tell them straight. If they send me out on the street, so be it. I don't care. I never wanted to do this in the first place," she leaned back.  
  
"Don't you think they already know that? They're gonna do something else to make sure you're punished for not fulfilling the mission," he warily eyed the waitress bringing their food.  
  
"Here you guys go," she announced as she presented their meals, "just let me know if ya need anythin' else. Okay?"  
  
He watched as she turned the corner before resuming their  
conversation.  
  
* * *  
  
"Man...things are really heatin' up over there. Those two are still dukin' it out. This is gonna be a bad break up," she gossiped with the bus boy.  
  
* * *  
  
"What do you think they'll do?" she nervously asked.  
  
"I don't know. They consider themselves to be kind of the parents of this operation, but they're not really good at playing that role. They probably won't see anything wrong with getting you a room in the red light district of the L2 sector. I wouldn't be surprised if they did do that," he said as he rolled a fry in a pool of ketchup.  
  
She groaned and picked at her food, "I see what you mean. Talk about a misguided bunch of old guys."  
  
"They're scientists. They're not good with people. I agree with you about telling them you decided not to do the mission, but be prepared to be dropped off at a brothel," he stated.  
  
"Dr. J. isn't so bad. He treats me like I'm his grand-daughter. Dr. G. is the one I'm worried about," she took a bite out of her sandwich, "he treats me like a pawn."  
  
"Then, make sure that J. is in the room with you when you discuss that last mission. He'll keep G. in line since he seems to be the leader of this operation," Wufei ended the conversation.  
  
"Hn..." she agreed. She smiled to herself at the resemblance the young man before her had to her father, always giving orders whether they needed to be given or not. Not to mention the fact that they were ridiculously in chronological order, such as:  
  
"I want you to put the clothes in the dryer and put the next load of wash into the washer. When the clothes in the dryer are done, I want you to fold them and put them away..."  
  
"Okay Dad, I'll finish the laundry..."  
  
She smiled at the memory as she took the last bite of her club  
sandwich.  
  
"What are you smiling at?" the Chinese asked.  
  
"Oh...you just reminded me of someone. Don't worry about it," she waved it off with a chuckle.  
  
'What's she up to? Who do I remind her of?' he took on a wary  
expression.  
  
"Okay...okay...You reminded me of my dad. This is a good thing.  
Don't worry about it," she laughed at the look on his face.  
  
"You guys have a good day," the waitress dropped off the bill.  
  
"Thank you," Cecilia giggled.  
  
* * *  
  
"Maybe they're not breakin' up after all. Huh...interesting couple..." she whispered to herself on the way to the kitchen. 


	6. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 11  
Mission Requirements  
  
"How dare you tell me what I'm supposed to do with my body!" she glared at the scientist.  
"Cecilia, you know I had nothing to do with that side-mission," he pointed the blame on his colleague.  
"Am I looking at you Doctor J.?" she continued to pierce the older man before her with her eyes.  
"If you can't do the mission, you will be eliminated. It's as simple as that," he replied calmly.  
"I think you're getting a bit hasty Giles," he placed his claw on his friends shoulder, "she's right. It's her body. You had no right to tell her to give up her innocence."  
"The girl has made you soft my friend," he announced as he left the room.  
"Oh no! You're not goin' anywhere ya bastard!" she tried to block the exit.  
"It's no use child. He will not listen to you. As long as I am here to protect you, he can not order you to do anything. All I ask is that you do your best on your present mission with Wufei," he smiled at her flaring, golden eyes.  
"Doctor J.! A mobile suit carrier just left the colony and we can't make contact with them at all!" a young, rebel soldier burst into the room.  
"It's Wufei. Don't worry about it. Let him go," Heero entered the room.  
"What's he doing?!" she ran toward the exit.  
"I said not to worry about it," he held her fast, "he won't admit it, but he's guilty and left to do the mission on his own. He knows what he's doing."  
Cecilia stared at Heero before switching her attention to Doctor J. for a reply.  
"Let him go. Perhaps this is for the best," he slowly sat down in a conference chair using his cane for support.  
  
'My stupid actions have made her too weak to carry out this mission. It's my job to right my wrongs. I have to do this on my own,' he repeated to himself as he entered Earth's atmosphere.  
  
"Hey there pretty thing!" the cat calls echoed from the opposite side of the mess hall.  
Cecilia picked at her food as the new comer watched. Her hair was still wet from her recent shower and was dripping down her back, dampening her white T-shirt.   
'Why does everyone keep thinking I'm so attractive? I'm not. I'm too dirty to be good looking. Speaking of which, I wonder what Wufei is up to. How did the mission go? I almost wanted to do it. Kinda funny since I complained so much. Why does this guy keep staring at me? I don't even know what our mission is yet and I'm supposed to make friends with him? How cheap...What's with his hair too? Why does he want to hide his other eye anyway? It's not like it's hidden real well. Maybe it's just naturally like that. I wonder what kinda genes you need to get your hair to spike over your eye like that naturally. What's with my attitude all of a sudden? I don't even know this guy and I'm pre-judging him already. It's not his fault he's so quiet...stoic is more like it. I doubt a good joke will lighten him up. He's worse than Heero...to a certain extent,' she continued to ignore the shouts for  
her around the room, 'What's with these guys? Is my bra showing or  
somethin'?'  
"We have a mission to discuss. Come on," he finally spoke, a slight hint of a Spanish accent trailing with his words.  
Gladly, she stood and threw out her food. She wasn't that hungry anyway.  
He watched her as they turned the corner. Her head was lowered and her eyes were dull. Something was bothering her, but she wasn't going to admit it.  
Opening the door, they entered his room. She scanned the area and recognized the broken plaster on the floor. Letting out a sigh, she spread out the plans on the table and sat down to discuss.  
"Cecilia Komoriuta...Nice to meet you," she presented her hand.  
He stared at it for a second before sitting down, "call me  
Trowa...Trowa Barton."  
"007?" she attempted to be funny with her fake English accent, but it didn't work. He gave her a cold glare to shut her up before hovering over the paperwork.  
Coughing nervously, she sat down and kept to herself. She stared at her hands as he explained the procedure, but she didn't hear him. Lost in her own world, she kept her head down to avoid eye contact.  
  
"Heero...I have a mission for you," the doctor whispered.  
"Hn...I don't take orders from you," he brushed past him.  
"Doctor J. is weak to think that Shiuta will be able to pull this thing off. She's lost her spark. Don't you see it?" he grabbed the boys arm.  
Turning, his expression softened, "you're right, but that was your fault...wasn't it..."  
"She is a liability to the cause now. She must be destroyed before she messes things up," he pressed.  
"I understand..." he reluctantly nodded before leaving the doctors company.  
  
"Did you listen to a word I said?" Trowa snapped his fingers in front of her face.  
"I'm sorry. I'm just not here today. Please, be patient with me," she came to attention.  
"Fine...You are to be an intern to the top Romefellar Psychiatrist. Get as much information as you can about the leaders. I'll sneak in here and get more detailed information regarding militaristic tactics here," he pointed to the state room, "You'll be there for a week. I'd suggest you get yourself a code name and make yourself look different. By now, they know what you look like."  
"Okay..." she nodded. 'easy enough...I can do this. It doesn't have anything to do with seduction which is good. It's something I'm good at, helping people. I can definitely do this.'  
Smiling, she rose from her seat and presented her hand once more. The dullness in her eyes melted to reveal a vibrant pair of golden-hazel eyes.  
With a small smile, he shook her hand and gathered all the paper from the table.  
  
Drying her hair after her second washing, she inspected the now  
honey-golden locks, 'I look kinda cool as a blonde.'  
After reading the label for directions, she mixed the colored disks in solution before applying sea-blue contacts, 'transformation almost complete.'  
Putting the finishing touches on her freshly curled hair, she slipped into a black, business suit, 'I look just like a high-school student doing their senior project. Cool!' She smiled at herself in the mirror, turning to see the whole package.  
  
He let out a deep sigh and stared at Orion's belt. The sound of Chinese curses could be heard in the distance followed by a continuous display of attack moves.   
Duo began to draw in the dirt as he flipped his braid over his shoulder, 'They know something I don't. What are they hiding from me? Why does Wufei keep mumbling about some girl in his sleep? What did he do to her to make himself feel so guilty? Who is she? Why aren't they telling me about it? I don't like it when people keep things from me. What are they hiding?'   
He continued to think to himself barely noticing the figure coming up behind him. "How long have you been out here?" a sweaty Wufei asked.  
"I don't know. Why do you care anyway? I doubt you ever look at the stars," Duo scoffed and erased his doodle.  
"That one is The Great Dragon," he announced as he pointed to a long line of stars which twisted its way along the horizon.  
"Wow...You actually do watch the skies! I thought I was the only one that had a brain for stuff other than the war!" he cheered.  
"Hn..." the Chinese chuckled as he sat beside the American, "I never wanted to be a warrior. I liked my books."  
"You...a scholar? Never would have thought that..." Duo appeared shocked.  
"You never asked," was the curt reply.  
The violet-eyed youth blinked several times and inserted the  
hypothetical foot into his mouth.  
"What are you doing out here...I know you're not just watching the stars."  
"Thinking...Hey man...What are you guys hiding from me? I don't like not being informed," the subject changed dramatically.  
"You'll see...eventually. Pretty soon, you'll get a message saying you have a new mission with a new informant. That's when you'll see what we've been hiding from you," Wufei didn't bother to see Duo's reaction as he stood to reenter the safe house.  
"Man...How bad is this new informant?" he scowled, "So the Mad  
Five have a new toy huh? This outta be fun..."  
  
  
Chapter 12  
Senior Project  
  
Dr. Eury entered his conference room to see the intern. He hated seeing these eager youngsters. They seemed to always have the idea that they were going to get to be active with patients during their one week senior project. It was sad really.   
  
This one didn't seem to be much better. She was lean, muscular,  
blonde, and had blue eyes. 'A true ditz,' the doctor thought to himself as he plastered on a smile.  
  
"Good evening Miss...Lee?" he brought his file closer to his range of sight as he presented his hand to the young woman.  
  
"Good evening to you as well Dr." she smiled as she firmly grasped his palm.  
  
"Well...you have a good handshake my dear," he sat in his favorite chair and skimmed through her file.  
  
"Thank you," she sat opposite him crossing her legs like a true lady.   
  
"Tell me...what do you hope to get out of this experience?"  
  
"Um...I'm thinking of majoring in psychology when I get to college. I've been told I'm good with giving advice and listening to people. I'd like to put that to practice in a productive manner. I know I won't be able to be in the room with you when your clients come, but I would like to ask them a few questions about how they feel about working with you...nothing that would breech confidentiality of course," she gave him her best hopeful, school-girl grin.  
  
"You know...you're the first one to actually realize that they're not going to be dealing directly with any of my clients. You're very clever. I'll give you a list of the people you can interview. Some of them won't be able to handle it...and one or two of them...I don't trust with a girl as pretty and young as you...if you know what I mean," he smiled when she blushed.  
  
"Thank you for keeping my welfare in consideration Dr." she  
pretended to be nervous. 'If I appear to be innocent, he'll think I'm just an ordinary blonde trying to act smart,' she began to hide her fidgeting.  
  
Noticing her begin to fidget at his warning, he adjusted his glasses and chuckled to lighten the mood. He was rewarded with a reassuring smile.   
  
"I understand you do have to work however..."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"When you're not interviewing people, I'll have my secretary give you some odd jobs. Will that satisfy your teachers?"  
  
"I think so, just as long as I get to interact with the field itself at some point in time I should be fine. I just need you to sign here..." she reached into her bag and pulled out a waiver.  
  
"It would be my pleasure Ms. Lee," he readied his pen.  
  
"Please Dr., call me Amber."  
  
* * *  
  
"Who's that?" the young soldier nudged his friend.  
  
"That's Dr. Eury's senior project girl. He gets one every year," was the bland reply.  
  
"Well...looks like I have some introducing to do," the young man licked his lips as he got off his chair.  
  
* * *  
  
"So...Amber, how was it with Dr. Eury today?" the green-eyed young man nonchalantly brushed past her.  
  
"Wait up man!" she bounded after him.  
  
She sat at the table with her Spanish friend. Flushed, he leaned in to her, "you shouldn't be seen with me."  
  
"Then why did you ask how my day went? Come on Triton. If we  
don't act like everything is normal, people WILL start to suspect us."  
  
Trowa made circular patterns in his ketchup with a fry. He would never get used to the name Triton. Remembering the name he often heard Cathrine say in her sleep at the circus, he decided it would suffice for a code name. Besides...Trowa wasn't even his name.   
  
How could she be so accustomed to Amber so quickly? Even if she  
was an actress...she can't be that good at faking it?  
  
"Triton? You okay?" she waved her hand in front of his face a look of concern etching its way over her facial features.  
  
"Yeah...fine..." he continued to pick at his food.  
  
Suddenly, a splash echoed throughout the cafeteria then the familiar sound of Cecilia exclaiming anything but lady-like curses.  
  
"I'm so sorry miss...Are you alright?" a young man with dark hair tried to make the event out to be an accident. Cecilia narrowed her eyes at the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth.  
  
"I'm fine," she forced a smile.  
  
"You sure...I could...um...take your clothes to the dry cleaners if ya want..." he looked hopeful.  
  
"No...that won't be necessary."  
  
"Well...I want to apologize properly. Can I get your name?" teal orbs met hazel, "mine's Tyler."  
  
"Amber..." they shook hands.  
  
"Do you have a last name Amber? Or am I gonna have to guess?"  
  
"Lee..." she looked confused. 'Why is he hitting on me? I'm older then you...you moron...Wait...he doesn't know that. Damnit...'  
  
"Great...I'm assuming you're in the directory. I'll call ya up all proper-like and ask you out or something...Sound good?" he left before she got the chance to answer.  
  
"You can't go out with him. You know that right?" Trowa moved over to a dryer seat.  
  
"I know. I don't plan on going out with anyone for a long time. Don't worry so much. Lighten up..." she sighed as her attempts to wipe off her skirt failed miserably.  
  
"Come on...we have some details to discuss still," he picked up his tray and motioned for her to follow.  
  
"Like...what exactly our relationship is?" she cautiously nudged him on her way to the tray drop-off.  
  
"We're friends. We go to the same school. Nothing more...remember?"  
  
"Yeah...classmates of opposite sex that happen to be sharing a room for a week...hmm...Yeah...we're friends alright..." she mockingly brought a finger to her lips.  
  
"You got a better idea?" he was losing his patience.  
  
"Well...we could be family...or dating...That would give me a good excuse not to go out with that guy..." her face lightened at the thought.  
  
"I don't want to fake that kind of relationship with anyone," his fist clenched in anger.  
  
Noticing the mood change, she decided to save that suggestion for later. It was a good idea. Considering how young they were supposed to be, they wouldn't have to do anything major...just hold hands once in awhile and maybe kiss each other's cheek now and then. Nothing much...It's not like they had to make-out in public or anything. What was his problem?  
  
"I know...Maybe...our parents are trying to set us up or something, so they had us take our senior project together. That way...we won't have to fake any kind of intimate relationship and I have a reason to not go out with that guy," she clapped her hands at her good idea.  
  
"Why are you so happy?" he tried to avoid eye contact.  
  
"Because this is what I do best...lying..." she poked him in the side, "You're talking to someone who writes stories, is an actress of sorts, and was forced to lie to her parents on a continual basis to avoid an unnecessary conversation."  
  
With a sigh of defeat, he shoved his hands in his pockets and began a brisk walk toward no where in particular. Cecilia smiled at herself before running to catch up to the stoic, young man.  
  
"That lie is too elaborate...no one will believe it..." he mumbled.  
  
"That's not true. Elaborate lies tend to be the most believable. Obviously, I'm more willing to consider a relationship then you are. There's no acting involved for that. We didn't even know our parents knew each other till now. There's no lying for that then. The only lie we need to remember is that we were pretty much forced to room together in the hopes that a relationship would spark between us...nothing more. There's no extra acting involved, only one white lie, and We can avoid getting asked out by anyone," she finally met his pace as they walked side by side down countless corridors.  
  
Stopping suddenly, he turned toward her eyes blazing, "I don't have any parents. I will have to lie about something and I'm not good at lying."  
  
"I know you don't have any parents, but you pseudo-parents. Isn't Cathrine and the manager kind of like parental figures? I remember reading something about them in your file. That...and you are good at lying. In your line of work, you have to lie all the time. You haven't changed anything about your personality. You don't talk a whole lot anyway. If people ask you a question...avoid it like you usually do. How hard is that?"   
  
Growling under his breath, he considered her offer. She was right. It was a good cover. No one can prove anything against it within a week. Once they were gone, no one would pay any more attention to the two new kids in town.  
  
Cecilia was the type of person you had to believe. She knew what people thought about and knew how to manipulate it without being cruel. White lies were her specialty, but she refused to lie when it was important. Spontaneous yet smart, she knew when and how to bend the rules. No wonder why the doctors liked her so much.  
  
"Hey Triton...aren't we going back to our room?" she busily peeled off a portion of her single, long nail.  
  
"Si..." he brushed past her toward a flight of stairs which led to the residence halls. 


	7. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 13  
And The Clan Gathers Together  
  
"You're pretty good with this big machinery. It's too bad you're only here for a week kid." The officer handed Trowa a wrench as he repaired the engine.  
  
"Hey, we got another one boss!" A young man was pushed into the  
hanger.  
  
The boss leapt from his perch to greet the new senior project kid. He noticed that the young man looked very comfortable in the shop's atmosphere...Almost as if he had worked in a trash heap his whole life.  
  
"Hi. Welcome to the repair hanger son. My name's Chance...This is Bobby." He pointed at a man knee deep in motor oil. "And that guy up  
there...is Triton. He's a senior project boy too." He pointed at Trowa.  
  
At the mention of his code name, he looked toward the voice to see a familiar face. "Heya Triton!" The young man waved excitedly, his long braid waving behind him.   
  
* * *  
  
"What are you doing here Duo?" Trowa looked his fellow pilot over critically.  
  
"The doctors told me to suit up...so I did. So what are you guys supposed to be doin' here?" He sat upon a counter top sipping at a cup of strong coffee.  
  
Pacing within his apartment sized dorm room, Trowa eyed the clock. "We're finding information regarding any new weaponry or anything about the colonies. We've found quite a bit of information so far, but nothing of much concern. Both of us are getting frustrated...Why did the doctors send you?"  
  
"That's what I'm wondering. And what do you mean by the 'us' and 'we' talk?? Who're you working with?"  
  
"That's right...You haven't met her yet..." He gave a slight smile.  
  
"Her? Is she cute? Taken? Give me details man!!"  
  
With that, a click echoed near the door as a figure stepped inside. Tired, she dropped her books on a stray chair and headed to the bedroom. From within the room, she called through the door. "Hey  
Trowa...er...Triton...I found some more information about that weirdo  
commander guy. It's in my bag if you want to look at it."  
  
"Already on it...We have a visitor...so stop sulking and do  
something..."  
  
"Don't get snippy with me mister! I just got hit on by that Tyler guy again...He's getting more and more aggressive the more I tell him no...Do you know that?!" She reemerged from the bedroom wearing a pair of dark, sleepy pants and a loose fitting T-shirt. "Who's our visitor?"  
  
Their eyes wide, Duo and Cecilia stopped short as they recognized each other. "Shiuta!!? What the hell are you doing here??"  
  
"You know her??"  
  
"I'm...I'm...I'm on a mission...sort of...What are you doing here??"  
  
"On a mission?? Since when are you working with us??" He was  
panicking by this time.  
  
"Since the night you were told to kill my benefactor. Doctor J.  
convinced me to join up in your fight."  
  
"But you're not suited for this job!" He whined.  
  
"Actually...I think I'm pretty good at this job. Fibbing is my specialty. I don't kill...I just observe and keep the coast clear for you guys," she shrugged and opened the refrigerator door.  
  
"But...but...but..." Throwing his hands up in the air, he collapsed in a chair to stare at her in shock.  
  
"So...what did Tyler do this time...?" Trowa disregarded his  
companion as he leafed through the information Cecilia had gathered.  
  
"He cornered me in the hallway with a bunch of his friends and  
harassed me. Honestly...the guy doesn't take 'no' for an answer!" She lifted a gallon jug to her lips and chugged the water found within. "If I were really going here, I'd prosecute...But...I can't risk it."  
  
Suddenly, Duo took on a possessive expression. "He what...? What does he look like? I'll keep'im at bay!"  
  
Cecilia blankly stared at him, "no you won't. Apparently, this is normal. No one's ever fought it. We want to blend in. If you fight him without just cause, the superintendent will look into your file and you'll be discovered. It's too risky. However, if you really want to get him back for treating me like crap, we have to be a little more sneaky."  
  
"Sneaky? I can do sneaky..." Duo chuckled, an evil look in his eye.  
  
* * *   
  
Cecilia stepped into the one place where she wouldn't be hounded by the great and powerful Tyler. Peaceful and Serene, she found her refuge with the books of the library. With a smile on her face, she made her way to the music section and selected her favorite score.  
  
'Might as well not fall out of practice...' After selecting a clear table, she opened the large score and began reading through the lyrics. As she consumed herself in the ghostly tones, she heard a scoff behind her.  
  
Quickly, she looked up to see a familiar looking young man disappear around the corner. His clothes were casual and his black hair was slicked back into a tight ponytail. He definitely looked familiar.  
  
Cecilia closed her score and followed where the young man went.  
Regretfully, she couldn't see him and didn't want to take the time to search him out.  
  
With a shrug, she turned to search through the shelves for the  
corresponding CD to the score. Upon finding it, she exited to the sound room. Putting the CD into the player, she promptly began conducting to the music.  
  
After awhile, she got lost in the music. Softly, she hummed along with the music closing her eyes to fully immerse herself in the melody. Unbeknownst to her, a figure peeked at the fake blond from the opposite booth. His blue eyes smiled at her as he stood to exit the room.  
  
* * *   
  
On her way to the cafeteria, Cecilia felt the presence of a familiar young man. His shadow was followed by several others. Once again, the woman found herself pinned to the wall.  
  
'Doesn't this brat get enough...!?' She bit her lip as she tried not to do anything rash.  
  
"Amber...nice to see you again," the young man smiled, his teeth glinting.  
  
"Leave me alone Tyler. I'm not going out with you."  
  
"Oh come on...I thought you liked strong men."  
  
"Strong...and intelligent..." She spat. "Now let me go."  
  
"I can't do that. I still haven't asked you my question," he grinned and touched her cheek. "There's a dance this weekend. It's real big here. I want you to go with me."  
  
"I told you...I'm not interested..." She made an attempt to get away from him only to be pinned once more. His hands pushed her into the hard surface to the point of pain, yet Cecilia stood her ground.  
  
"Excuse me...I think the girl said she didn't want to be disturbed. Let her go," a slightly nasal, yet serious voice caught Tyler's attention.  
  
"And what are you gonna do about it stranger?" he laughed.  
  
The newcomer smirked. Suddenly, Tyler felt pain engulf the back of his neck. It happened too quickly for anyone to respond before the haughty student fell to the tiled floor with a loud thump. In fright, the unconscious one's followers dispersed revealing a brown haired Japanese.  
  
"Heero...? Is that you...?" Cecilia separated herself from the wall.  
  
"Hai..." 


	8. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 14  
A Plan Of Action  
  
"Okay...Why are all you guys here...?" Cecilia took a deep breath to prepare herself for some heavy thinking.  
  
Duo crossed his arms in front of his chest as he tipped back the chair he was sitting upon. Quatre sat upon the countertop in the kitchen/sitting room, his feet kicking to an internal rhythm. Heero leaned against the wall, his arms folded across his chest. Trowa stared into a cup of coffee as if it had the answer to all of life's questions. Meanwhile, Cecilia stood before her partners waiting for someone to grant her an answer to her question.  
  
"The doctors want us to off the suspicious commander you've been finding information on. We weren't given details as to why, just to do it as discretely as possible. We were also sent to hack into the system to get more information on a new mobile suit that is possibly being developed here," Heero decided to speak up.  
  
"Okay...Now...How are we going to do this?" Cecilia turned a chair backwards and straddled it giving the young men her full attention.  
  
"That's your department. You've had missions with each of us. You know our strengths and can work with us to create a diversion. What do you say?" Quatre's eyes danced with expectation.  
  
Taking another deep breath, she began to massage her temples. This was going to be a long night. "You say that one half of the mission is to off some military guy...and the other half is to hack into the system. I can do this..." Cecilia bit her lip and looked about the room at her mission partners before getting up and pacing about the apartment.  
  
"Okay...Trowa and Duo...you guys do the hacking job. I know Heero's the master at hacking, but you guys have spent a bit more time in that area of the school then he has. You might be able to do more. Heero and Quatre...you guys take the commander....Or would you be more comfortable helping me with the distraction Quatre? I know you don't like to kill."  
  
"No...I can go with Heero." Cecilia missed the glance between Duo and Quatre.  
  
"Okay then...It's settled...Wufei's with me. He doesn't show up to a meeting and he gets stuck doing the sissy work." She smiled at the thought of his possible reaction before dismissing the guys to discuss their jobs in more detail. "When you guys are done discussing, we'll have another meeting to combine everything so that I can come up with an appropriate diversion."  
  
They all nodded and left the room.  
  
* * *  
  
"So...you really think Wufei likes Cecilia?" Quatre asked his  
roommate.  
  
"Yeah. I stayed with him for a little while and he kept calling this girl's name in his sleep and saying 'I'm so sorry'. It was sweet really. I think he feels guilty about something." He flipped his braid over his shoulder and hugged his pillow.  
  
"So...you're gonna play matchmaker." The blonde one smiled  
thoughtfully as he giggled.  
  
"Of course, I think it's about time he got involved with someone. Maybe it would get the stick out of his ass."  
  
* * *  
  
Oblivious to the world around him, Wufei sat at a lonely table in the corner of the cafeteria. 'Why do I have to be the diversion?? There is no honor in that!' he thought to himself as he ate.  
  
"Mind if I sit here?" a soft voice jerked him out of his thoughts. Turning, he came face to face with a blonde haired woman. His eyes traveled from the tray she was holding to her abnormally blue eyes.  
  
"C-Cecilia..." He managed to get out before reattaching his mask of indifference. "Do what you want woman."  
  
With a giggle, she sat opposite him and stared into his black eyes. "So...did the guys tell you about our little meeting?"  
  
Wufei scoffed and played with his food. He didn't seem too happy about his job. Narrowing his eyes, he glared at the woman before him. "I find no joy in being such a weak component to this mission."  
  
"I didn't think you would. Next time, come to the meeting," she  
chuckled.  
  
"I do not take orders from a woman!"  
  
"I wasn't giving orders last night. I was merely making suggestions that happened to make sense. Besides...don't you want to spend some time with me?" She challenged him with a grin.  
  
Growling, Wufei rose from his chair and stalked off mumbling in his native tongue. Cecilia giggled to herself and followed. The next meeting was about to start.  
  
* * *  
  
"When are we gonna do this?" Duo looked bored as he stretched out on Cecilia's bed.  
  
"Well...that depends on how we're gonna do it. Heero...what's your game plan for the dear commander?" Cecilia passed around drinks as she waited for the Japanese to answer.  
  
"Quatre and I will sneak in to his bed room and do the job. I found a map of the quarters. Quatre will keep everyone out of the immediate fire, but we need someone to make sure the commander's alone when we do it. I only want to do one kill."  
  
"I can do that. Trowa...Duo...What are you guys doing?"  
  
"You told us that your psychiatrist friend has computer access into the whole school. We're gonna use his computer to hack into he system. It's the most confidential to our knowledge. We need you to keep the doctor out of his office."  
  
"Sounds good...Now we can discuss when we'll do this. Heero, I  
suspecting you want to do your job at night." Heero nodded. "Tyler  
mentioned something about a dance tomorrow night. He said it's really big here. I checked into it and discovered the commander's wife and the good doctor are both chaperones at the dance. I figure Wufei and I will be able to keep both at bay there. How long do you guys need?"  
  
Wufei stepped into the room, a scowl upon his face. No one paid  
attention to his late entrance. Leaning against the wall, he listened in on the remaining conversation. He could get a briefing afterward.  
  
"We need approximately fifteen minutes," Duo yawned and hugged  
Cecilia's stuffed animal.  
  
"Same with us," Quatre smiled at Wufei who promptly growled in the blonde's direction.  
  
"It's settled then. Try to do the jobs at around the same time...Wufei and I will hold the two problem people off. Get out of the school as fast as you can. Wufei and I will be the last to leave. Start the jobs at 22:00 hours. We'll meet at 23:00 outside the gates of the school."  
  
With that, everyone nodded and dispersed...everyone, except Wufei. Pushing himself off the wall he approached Cecilia. "What are we going to do about the diversion?" He glared at her from across the room.  
  
"Glad you asked Wufei," she smiled at him and sat on her bed. Lifting her bag off the floor, she began to rummage through it. "Wufei...do you have a tux here?"  
  
"Of course not! What does that have to do with anything?" he crossed his arms over his chest and tried not to look curious.  
  
"Well...get one. You're gonna take me to the dance tomorrow night." Completely straight faced, she met his glare and waved a pair of tickets in front of her face.  
  
"NUREN!" He screamed in his language at the woman before him.  
  
"NANREN!" She met his tone.  
  
Shocked that the woman knew his language, Wufei stuttered briefly before resuming his hard attitude. "I am not taking you to a stupid dance! We have more important things to do then to have fun! This is out of the question!"  
  
"That's why we're going! Our targets are at the dance! If you're not taking me, then I'll take you! Geez!!" She threw her hands in the air. Fire seemed to shoot from her eye sockets as she screamed her point of view.  
  
'No one's challenged me like this since...Meiran...This woman has the same look in her eyes...' His features softened slightly into the look of a man remembering a battle he could never have won. "Fine...I'll take you to the stupid dance...BUT DON'T EXPECT MUCH!"  
  
"Thank you Wufei," Cecilia grinned before kissing him on the cheek and leaving to find something to eat.  
  
Wufei stood for a moment, shocked. His mouth opened and closed  
several times before he turned toward the door to stare at it. His eyes showed confusion as his features softened. Suddenly finding the strength to move, he stepped toward the door to the apartment. Opening the exit, he turned toward his mission partner. She was so absorbed in her quest for food that she missed the beginnings of a smile as it crept upon his face. Shaking his head, he snapped out of his almost positive emotion and turned to leave. 


	9. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 15  
Preparations  
  
"How many disks did you find Duo?" The tall Spaniard approached his mission partner.  
  
"Enough...more then enough. What? You don't trust me? You gotta  
trust your-" Duo giggled as Trowa shook his head and walked away.  
  
His green eyes caught sight of the still closed door as his ears picked up the soft hum of a woman trying to calm herself. He knocked on the door and waited for a response, a curious expression on his face.  
  
"Oh, Trowa?" Came a voice closely followed by the sound of  
something dropping on the carpet and a string of quieted curses.  
  
"What are you doing in there?" Trowa talked to the door as Duo  
approached him from behind.  
  
Suddenly, the door flung open sending the two young men staggering backwards. Cecilia stood before them wearing make-up, her hair in soft waves and pulled into a loose French twist, and a red and gold, Chinese style dress.  
  
Turning around, she revealed a basically bare back with the exception of two buttons which fastened at her neck. "Hey...could you button these for me?"  
  
Trowa nodded and did as told. Meanwhile, Duo stood behind him with his mouth gaping open. His eyes trailed from her bare back to the slits in her skirt that went from her hips to the floor on either side of her skirt.   
  
With a nervous sigh, she circled in front of them. "Do I look okay?"  
  
"Um...uh...Huh?" Duo managed.  
  
"You look fine. Why are you nervous? It's only Wufei..." Trowa  
folded his arms across his chest and looked intently into her eyes. "And...why are your eyes hazel again?"  
  
"The contacts were bothering me today. Besides, it's our last day here so there isn't anything to worry about. I'm nervous...because I've never been to a school dance...with a guy. This is kind of...my first date...so to speak..." She fiddled with the hem of her dress.  
  
"YOU'VE NEVER BEEN ON A DATE!?" Duo nearly fell over at the  
mere thought.  
  
"No one ever liked me enough to ask me. Mom always said I wasn't pretty enough..." Shaking her head, she decided not to get started on that subject. This was going to be a good night whether Wufei helped or not.  
  
* * *  
  
Heero tucked his gun in its holster as Quatre dressed in all black. He wanted this to be a quick job. Turning, he heard the sound of Chinese cursing coming from the bathroom. Heero managed a smirk and leaned against the wall.  
  
"What?!" Wufei glared at the Japanese.  
  
"Hn..." His expression remained cold, but his eyes betrayed his  
amusement.  
  
"You know...Wufei...you might want to get Cecilia flowers...I believe that's the custom." Quatre approached with a grin.  
  
"I am not buying that woman flowers!" With that, he stalked out the door.  
  
The two remaining silently exchanged looks as if to say, 'he'll buy her flowers...'  
  
* * *  
  
Wufei fumed through the courtyard toward the other residential wing. 'How the hell did I get dragged into this? Damn woman can't take no for an answer. She's just like Meiran...' Stopping suddenly, he stared blankly at a random patch of garden. The flowers blurred into a big blob of red and yellow as his past oozed into his thoughts.   
  
Closing his eyes briefly, he rubbed his face and breathed deeply. A small patch caught his attention followed swiftly by the memory of an Arabian informing him of a certain American custom. Bending over, he quickly plucked an oddly colored bud from the rose bush. He scoffed at it and took out his knife to remove the thorns.  
  
'She better appreciate this...' He thought to himself before continuing his way to her dorm. 'I can't believe I just did that...Damn you woman...'  
  
* * *  
  
A knock came at the door causing Cecilia to jump and fiddle with nervousness. 'Wufei's so hard to please...I hope he doesn't do what I think he's gonna do...'  
  
Before opening the door, Trowa looked through the peep hole to see a stern Wufei clenching his teeth to keep from running and doing the job on his own. As he reached for the knob, a wave of doubt briefly flew through his body. 'He's going to be an ass tonight. I can feel it...'  
  
"Come on in Wufei..." He held the door open for his fellow pilot.  
  
"Ready?" Cecilia grabbed the tickets and approached her date. "Let's do this..." She made an attempt to make the scene light so that her hopes for an entertaining evening wouldn't get out of hand.  
  
A flash of awe sped across Wufei's face as his eyes wandered over the woman before him, but it was quickly covered. He narrowed his eyes and stood in her path toward the exit. "Put a coat on or something..." He looked directly at the diamond shaped bit of flesh upon her chest before returning his eyes to pools of shocked hazel.  
  
"What? We're not going outside yet. The dance is practically down the hall. Why do I need a coat?" She disregarded the reference to her chest.  
  
"Fine. Do what you want woman..." Clenching his teeth, he grabbed her hand and roughly guided her out the door.  
  
Cecilia allowed herself to get dragged and turned to address the two remaining bodies in the room. "The mission starts now. You have one hour. Good luck you guys!" She managed before the door was closed.  
  
Ripping her hand from his, she stopped his trot toward his own  
personal hell. "Wufei...my name here is Amber. If you call me Cecilia people will wonder. Okay?" Her eyes pleaded with him to keep the facade alive.  
  
"Fine..." He groaned. "Let's just get this over with."  
  
She gave him a sad smile and handed him a ticket before heading  
toward the sound of dance music.  
  
'Why is she sad...?' Instinct told him to do something about the disturbing smile, but pride decided to ignore it. Unaware of what he was doing, his eyes watched her hips move as she walked in front of him. He could plainly see the bare skin of her legs with each step she took. 'She wore that on purpose...What am I thinking?? This is a mission!' He shook his head to get his mind back on what was important. 'This is going to be a long night...' 


	10. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 16  
Subtle Chaos  
  
Pretending to be a gentleman, Wufei guided his 'date' to a table beside the dance floor. Cecilia noticed the forced manners and sighed allowing him to pull a chair out for her.  
  
"Do you want a drink...?" He harshly questioned. Part of him  
screamed. He hadn't meant for his voice to be so hateful, but it was too late now.  
  
"You don't need to pretend to be nice, Wufei." Sad, knowing eyes gazed at him.  
  
He inwardly gulped and leaned closer to her. "What's the plan...?"  
  
Cecilia took a deep breath. At least they had something to talk about. "I know you don't find deception to be noble, but it's required for this in a way. The key is to cause chaos without making it look like it's our fault. For instance..." She glanced at a group not far away from where they were sitting. Wufei's eyes followed suit.  
  
The leader cast a menacing glare at Wufei before huddling with his group. Black eyes sensed the challenge and narrowed. Without realizing it, the Chinese scooted closer to his date and sent a possessive vibe to his obvious rival.  
  
"That's Tyler. He has a crush on me. As you can see, he's the  
possessive type. He's also known to be violent when he doesn't get his way. A day ago, he asked me to the dance and I turned him down. I told the president's wife and Dr. Eury my predicament and they told me they'd keep an eye out. My plan is to get him to spark a fight. The targets will assume they are controlling the situation by staying put and watching what's happening. We will not be suspected and the mission will be a success. Understand?" She tried not to notice how protectively close he was to her.  
  
"Dui*..." His body remained firm in its position while his eyes shifted to look at her. A light musky scent entered his nose as he finally noticed his previous move toward her. She was wearing perfume. It was easy to miss unless you got close. With a nonchalant cough, he sat up and pulled at his collar.  
  
"Wufei...? Is your collar too tight?" She chuckled and moved to loosen it for him.  
  
"Don't touch me..." He kicked her under the table and leaned back in his chair.  
  
With a grin, she bent over slightly to rub her ankle. 'This might be more fun then I thought...'  
  
Wufei stared at her bare back and exposed leg as she rubbed at a growing bruise he didn't mean to give her. 'Do something...' His mind told him. Before he changed his mind, he reached into his inside pocket and took out the flower he had picked earlier. Looking off in a random location behind him, he shoved the rose in front of her. "Here...Take it...I..."  
  
Cecilia stared at the fiery bud. Tentatively, she plucked it from his grasp and inspected the colors. It was yellow along the top and blended into a bright red at the bottom. "I've never seen a rose like this before. It's beautiful."  
  
Taking his eyes off the far wall, he turned to watch her touch the petals her eyes sparkling with awe. Suddenly, pools of golden-hazel were upon him. He uncharacteristically froze and ran his thumb along his upper lip as a distraction.  
  
"Thank you Wufei..." A warm smile grew upon her face causing the corner of his mouth to twitch. His eyes wandered slightly before returning to hers. It was awkwardly silent.  
  
* * *  
  
"Isn't that Amber...?" A brown haired man nudged his friend.  
  
"Shut up! That bastard better get away from her!" Tyler snarled. He openly glared at the couple. 'She's mine foreigner...You lay a finger on her and I'll kick your ass...'  
  
* * *  
  
"Helen...Do you see that...?" The doctor motioned from the balcony.  
  
"Miss Amber was right...Perhaps our star student isn't so perfect after all..." Gray eyes watched the collection of boys carefully from above. She concluded she would have to really concentrate that evening.  
  
* * *  
  
Pulling small tools from his braid, Duo picked the lock to the doctor's office. With a nod, he and Trowa entered and disarmed the security. As silent as a ghost, Trowa slipped into a large, black, leather chair. Swiftly, he typed his way into the main system and broke past the security barrier.   
  
Duo couldn't help but think about how the deception was holding up. He had no doubts that he would have to get snippy with Wufei about treating his friend like crap. 'He's such an idiot. He doesn't know when to go for what's in front of him...'  
  
* * *  
  
Swiftly, Quatre did a sweep through the noble's quarters. It was empty except for the noble himself. With a wave of the Arabian's hand, Heero made his way into the grand hallway. He nodded at Quatre and ran from shadow to shadow until he reached the bedroom suite.  
  
Once again, Quatre made the 'all clear' sign and got out of the way for the killer to make his entrance.  
  
* * *  
  
"What do we do now...?" Wufei's voice was low and careful. He  
wanted the mission to go smoothly and if that meant following this woman's lead...so be it.  
  
"We have fun..." Cecilia smirked and stood. She presented her hand to her shocked partner. "This is a dance...Let's dance...The more we appear to be a couple. The more Tyler will get riled up."  
  
Feeling inside his pocket for the familiar picture, he solemnly nodded and rose to his feet. He took a step forward only to stop and gesture to the dance floor. "You go ahead...I don't..."  
  
"It's okay...I understand...Maybe later then..." With a timid smile, she left his side to join the dancing mob. She easily slipped into the crowd and blended with the groove. Her hips swayed as her mind escaped into the music.  
  
Wufei watched, his lips slightly parted. His mind's eye soaked in the vision of bare skin and a red, form fitting dress moving with a rolling rhythm. His fingers began to roughly rub the pocketed picture in an attempt to secure the name of a loved woman in his memory.  
  
Black orbs glared at a young man approaching the dancing woman. He noticed her cast a glance in his direction as the intruder offered a hand and a smile to accompany the now slow tune being played. To his surprise, Wufei rose from his chair and approached the two.  
  
"This woman is spoken for..." He brushed past the young man took Cecilia's hand. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled her body close to his. Slowly, he led her to the beat of the song.  
  
"I didn't think you wanted to dance with me Wufei..." She relaxed in his embrace as his hand pressed against her back.  
  
"I changed my mind..." He brought their clasped hands in to rest on his chest and maneuvered her around the dance floor. The sweet scent of her perfume filled his nostrils forcing him to close his eyes and breath deeply. 'You have to stay in control Wufei...' He reminded himself as he looked over her shoulder.  
  
Turning slightly, he cast a glance at the nape of her neck. Warmth radiated from her skin. He could picture a blush creeping onto her face and nearly grinned at the thought.   
  
Cecilia felt the tickle of someone breathing on her neck. She blushed and watched the other dancers move in a conventional manner. 'Is he gonna kiss me...?' She half hoped he would...half prayed he wouldn't.  
  
His lips barely touched her skin before he thought better of it and continued to stare over her shoulder. 'I can't...Meiran...' Visions of his last encounter with Cecilia sent shivers down his spine. '...I don't deserve to anyway...right Meiran...?'  
  
He let his hand brush her back as he separated himself from her. Smoothly, he left her side and exited to an outside balcony for some fresh air. Cecilia merely watched him leave, a sad expression on her face.  
  
Looking about the room, she thought she saw many pairs of eyes watch her. He left her standing...Why...? With that, she trotted toward where he was headed. When she approached, she saw him leaning his hands against the stone railing of the porch-like balcony. He had a brooding expression on his face as if he were contemplating what went wrong with his life. She gulped and took a step toward him.  
  
"Go away..." He stared at the sky.  
  
"Not until you tell me what happened..." She dared to stand beside him. Setting a determined glare on her face, she inspected his face for signs of emotion. His eyes showed sad confusion while his face remained stern.  
  
"I told you to go away woman..." He continued to stare at anything but her.   
  
"We're in this together Wufei. I'm not leaving."  
  
"Screw the mission! I...I'm too weak to do this..." He bowed his head and waited for her to agree.  
  
"When have you ever been weak? You're practically impenetrable.  
How can you be weak? Prove to me that I'm wrong." She forced him to look at her.  
  
In one swift move, he wrapped his arms around her and plastered her to the railing. "I...am weak..." he whispered brushing his lips against hers. His eyes searched hazel briefly before he kissed her. Almost roughly, he slid his tongue into her mouth. His hands roamed up her back as if they were expressing his urgency.  
  
Cecilia's eyes opened wide. She hadn't been expecting this turn of events. Relaxing, she wrapped her arms around his neck and welcomed the attention.   
  
'Don't kiss back...I...' Wufei breathed in sharply through his nose inhaling the aroma that was her. Practically dipping her over the railing, he pressed closer to her. '...Meiran...' Almost as quickly as he had started, he pushed her away and returned to brooding.  
  
Cecilia was speechless. She moved to touch him, but relinquished. Bowing her head, she returned to the dance.  
  
Inwardly, Wufei laughed at himself. 'Fool...'  
  
Notes:  
  
* Dui is yes in Chinese  
  
*the whole dance scene and the aftermath is inspired from Matchbox 20's "You Won't Be Mine" from their Mad Season album. 


	11. Default Chapter Title

Chapter 17  
Confusion!  
  
Cecilia felt a pair of strong arms grab her as her back was pressed   
against an unknown male's chest. The unknown male breathed in her   
scent and whispered indistinguishable words in her ear. Tyler   
slithered past her stopping briefly to stroke her cheek. He gave   
her a wicked, loving smile that screamed of premature triumph.   
She made a feeble attempt to bite his hand off. He only chuckled   
as if that were a sign of her love for him.  
  
"Yo...China boy! You were just making out with my girl weren't you?"   
Tyler made his way to the balcony. Cecilia could have sworn he had   
acquired a Brooklyn-Italian accent and a pinstriped suit as he leaned   
against the stone next to Wufei.  
  
Wufei's lips grew into a dark smirk. Slowly, he raised his face to the   
heavens purposely ignoring the annoying gnat beside him. He laughed to   
himself at the sheer stupidity of the young man to his left. "I have not   
touched your girl," he drawled in a thick Chinese accent.  
  
Tyler cracked his neck in frustration causing several present to outwardly   
cringe. "That's not what I heard." He poked his rival in the side as if he   
were issuing a challenge. "I heard," he began to pace, "that you had my girl   
pressed against this balcony and were passionately kissing...I'm assuming with   
tongue-"  
  
"Then perhaps..." Wufei hid his disgust. His stargazing eyes narrowed into   
hateful slits. His hands gripped the stone balcony causing his knuckles to   
turn white. Yet with all this, his voice remained calm, an almost mocking   
tone. "Perhaps, she is not your girl."  
  
With that, Tyler bristled with anger as his fist unleashed itself at Wufei's   
face. Time slowed down as the raging fist neared its target. Black eyes barely   
left the night sky when a Citrine-skinned hand blurred out of focus only to   
reappear gripping the apposing fist. Wufei squeezed the bones of Tyler's hand   
together letting them rub and grind. Considering this an open invitation, the   
rest of the young men present piled into a growing brawl.  
  
* * *  
  
"Where are they?" Duo paced outside the school walls.  
  
"They will come. Stop pacing. It's making me nervous." Trowa faced the iron   
gate with his arms crossed over his chest. His usual calm exterior showed a hint   
of boredom as his eyes watched the faint shadow of his pacing friend.  
  
"Be patient..." came the usual nasal voice of reason from the recesses of a dark   
shadow.  
  
"Well SORRY! I wasn't blessed with that virtue!" Duo continued to pace. He   
glared at a snickering blonde who was sitting with his back leaning against a   
cherry tree.  
  
A scuffle from the opposite side of the wall caused all four boys to stare at   
the top of the seemingly endless rows of brick. The sound of a clang made Duo's   
heart thump. Maybe it wasn't Wufei and Cecilia at all and they were all sitting   
ducks out here in the open. His mind raced with more of these kinds of thoughts   
until the familiar sound of a hook being purposely placed upon the wall so that   
a very familiar body could climb down silently echoed around the shadows of the   
entrance.  
  
Duo looked up to see a pair of mostly bare legs and black panties surrounded by   
darkened red silk. His violet eyes chose to ignore the countless bruises and   
abrasions scattered up and down Cecilia's legs. Duo hoped whoever gave her those   
injuries was in worse shape than she. He smirked, "Damn..." To which came the   
harsh whispered reply of, "Shut up Duo!"   
  
When Cecilia silently landed on the dew-dropped earth in her bare feet, she   
scowled at her friend. She balled her fist at the thought of giving him a piece   
of her mind when a voice caught her attention as her shoes were hurled at her   
head. Startled, she barely caught them and tossed them on the ground as a stream   
of Chinese curses accompanied the next body's climb down to earth.   
  
Cradling his arm, Wufei slowly lowered himself to the ground. His wrist lightly   
scraped against the brick causing the pilot to unavoidably wince and voice his   
opinion on the matter. Growling, he tried to hide it as he rubbed his painful arm.  
  
"Be careful Wufei!"  
  
"Shut up woman..." he mumbled as he brushed past her only to turn suddenly to   
glare at his fellow pilots with thunder and lightening in his eyes. "Are we   
going or what??"  
  
Duo cast Cecilia a wary look to which she shook her head as if to say, "Don't   
ask." Her eyes wide with frustration, she trudged her way through the wet grass   
to their pick-up vehicle. Much to her surprise, Wufei stood beside the door   
waiting for her to enter first. As she passed him, she heard a distinct snarl.   
"I hate you..." Narrowing her eyes, she gave him her best smirk of defiance   
before getting into the vehicle. "I hate you more..."  
  
* * *  
  
"How the hell was I supposed to know ten guys were going to be coming at me at   
once!?" Wufei seized several wet pieces of plaster cast and hurled it at the woman   
in front of him.  
  
"I don't know! You're the martial arts master! Aren't you supposed to have a   
sixth sense about that kind of stuff?" She barely dodged the already drying strips   
of cloth.  
  
"Get out! I don't want you in my presence!" Wufei ignored the overly polite   
aggressiveness of his nurse as she advised him to settle down.  
  
"FINE YOUR HIGH AND MIGHTINESS!" Cecilia spun on her heel. Her hair whirled   
around to slap her in the face with its force. With unknown strength, she ripped   
the door open and speed walked, failing to hear the thick metallic bang echo   
behind her.  
  
Wufei's eyes watched her leave before returning his glare to the nurse. "Are we   
almost done?" He said harshly.  
  
"Only if you settle down." He nodded his agreement as his features softened   
sending frustrated gazes at the door Cecilia just stormed out of. "You hurt   
her..." The nurse dared to mention.  
  
He cast a glance at the redheaded woman beside him with a sad, knowing look in   
his eyes. She gave him a nod and began cleaning up as she dismissed him.  
  
* * *  
  
Once out of the medical ward, Cecilia's escape slowed down to a confused saunter.   
Hazel orbs stared at the floor as she rounded the corner to the sleeping quarters.   
'Why did he kiss me? Why did he protect me when those guys started to gang up   
on us? It was like he was protecting something very important to him. Then he   
suddenly decides it was a waste of effort? Is that it?' Her fingers touched her   
lips as her eyes continued to search the floor for answers to her questions.   
"Why'd he kiss me...like that?"  
  
Suddenly Cecilia slammed into a body. It was strong, obviously male, and   
wearing all black. Shaking her head, she blinked to see Duo sprawled on top of   
her. He groaned and slowly began to sit up when he noticed there was a soft, warm   
body beneath him.  
  
Two pairs of eyes widened when they realized what happened. "Duo! Are you okay?"   
Cecilia yelped. The American pilot stared for what seemed like several minutes.   
She was still wearing her dress, but her hair had been let down. Duo's eyes   
wandered as his jaw dropped. He forced himself not to lose his balance. 'She's   
beautiful...'   
  
"Um...Duo...you can get off me now," Cecilia adjusted hoping it would clue him   
in, but to no avail. A hand reached out and touched her hair, then her cheek.   
Confused, yet not really, she watched his eyes. They were hopeful, sad, as if   
he knew he didn't have a chance.  
  
"Duo...get off me, please," she prodded gently. Said pilot blinked, obviously   
out of his dream, shook his head, and lifted himself off the ground. He offered   
her his hand smiling his usual lopsided grin.  
  
"Sorry 'bout that..."  
  
* * *  
  
Hopping onto the unmade bed, Duo faced his friend who was presently sitting   
beside him with her hands on her knees. "So...what happened? You look distraught."   
  
Cecilia stared into nothingness. Should she talk about this with Duo? From what   
just happened, she could tell he liked her. If she discussed her Wufei problems,   
he might force himself to be understanding and helpful. He might go as far as to   
help the two of them get together at the price of his own happiness...  
  
"Hello?" A slightly tanned hand waved itself in front of her face snapping her   
out of her thoughts.  
  
"Um...sorry..." She blushed as she kicked off her shoes and turned to face him.   
Her eyes caught the detour of violet orbs when she crossed her legs causing bare   
flesh to escape from the recesses of her dress. Clearing her throat, her hands   
instinctively folded themselves in front of her as if they were trying to hide   
something that was already hidden by red cloth.  
  
"Yes!" Duo snapped out of his dream to put his full attention on Cecilia's face.   
"So what happened?"  
  
"Well...The dance was going exactly as planned. We managed to get Tyler to start   
a fight with Wufei. We didn't know that all his groupies were going to join in,   
but we were able to accommodate. It was okay. That is...until a few of the guys   
started ganging up on me." Her expression changed to one of disgust as her body   
shuddered. "Anyway, that made Wufei go berserk. He lost all his control and just   
went nuts. Everything happened really fast after that, but somewhere in there   
Wufei broke his arm. Then when everything was over and we were out of the   
vice-principal's office, his attitude did a 180. It was like whatever he did   
during the fight was a waste of time or something. I don't get it. You know him   
better. What do you think?"  
  
Duo watched her for a few minutes his expression intense. Under his gaze,   
Cecilia began to blush. He was taking a while to contemplate this. Finally,   
after what seemed like hours, he adjusted himself on the bed so he could sit   
up straight. His body spoke of professionalism and concern. Something was going   
through that mind of his and the poker face he was showing wasn't giving Cecilia   
any clues as to what it might be.  
  
"You're not telling me everything...and I will respect that. I think...you need   
to talk to him about this. He should be in his room right now meditating or   
something." With that said, Duo slid off the bed and headed toward the door.  
  
Cecilia watched him leave. His professional mood and tone were still apparent.   
He was hiding something as well. She had no doubt in her mind that it had taken   
Duo all of his strength to say that without losing himself to his emotions. But   
he was right; She had to talk to Wufei. It was the only way she would be able to   
understand what happened. It was the only way she could possibly sleep that night.  
  
* * *  
  
Wufei sat quietly upon his bed. His eyes closed, he breathed deeply to calm   
his state of mind and drift into the customary meditative state. He had a lot   
to think about. Something had happened at that dance. Something he couldn't   
control. His mind began to drift, as it always did, through the calm waters of   
purposeful meditation. Hopefully, the waters would be able to tell him what was   
wrong with him.  
  
The calm ripples of water were suddenly interrupted as a stream of red and gold   
slipped past him. He tried to call out, but to no avail. His hand reached out to   
the silken stream of color. It was too fast for him. The image of flesh upon flesh   
flashed before him so briefly he barely noticed it. He continued to chase the   
river of dancing color. Everything began to fold in on itself. Wufei could feel   
himself falling. He panicked and grabbed for a familiar stream of fire to stop his   
plummet. "Let me go Wufei...Let me go..." It whispered as it died sending him into   
a tumbling spiral downward.  
  
Suddenly a knock came at the door ripping Wufei from his meditation. Gasping,   
he licked his lips to control himself. He turned to glare at the door when it   
opened. His jaw set itself. Who would dare to open his door without being invited   
first? His mouth opened, ready to give the intruder a piece of his mind when he   
saw the silhouette of a very familiar female. She had changed from the dance,   
finally, into a pair of red, plaid, boxer shorts and an old white T-shirt.   
His eyes traveled up and down her body with a look of expected indignation. His   
mouth formed a cruel snarl to make her feel uncomfortable in his presence.  
  
Much to his dismay, it didn't work. She was already uncomfortable, but not the   
kind of uncomfortable he was hoping for. Taking down the façade, he watched her   
approach his bed. "What do you want woman?" he sighed.  
  
"I have...some questions...to ask you," She scratched her arm as she stood   
before him. He turned; still cross-legged, to look up at her hoping he was doing   
a good job of avoiding eye contact with her breasts.  
  
"Ask me anything you wish..."  
  
"How's your arm?"  
  
"It's fine. It's not a bad break," he trailed a finger down his cast for emphasis.  
  
"That's good. I was worried about that."  
  
"That's not what you wanted to ask me. Is it?"  
  
"No. Were...was that...were you faking it when you kissed me?"  
  
"No. There is no honor in lying to a woman about such matters."  
  
"Oh...Why did you lose control in the fight?"  
  
"I don't know. I saw Tyler's men try to put their hands on you and I didn't like it.   
I guess I was being..."  
  
"Possessive?"  
  
"Protective...of you..." His eyes darted to the curve of her waist for a lingering   
moment before returning to darkened hazel. "That's alright isn't it?"  
  
"Uh...yeah...I guess so. So...um...what happened afterward?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Your attitude changed all of a sudden. It was as if everything that happened was   
a waste of time...the kiss, everything."  
  
"It wasn't waste of time."  
  
"Then, what was with the throwing of my shoes at my head, and the whole 'I hate   
you' thing, and the throwing of wet cast, and..."  
  
"I don't know. I was frustrated."  
  
"With what? Did I do something wrong?"  
  
"You did nothing wrong."  
  
"Then, why were you being such an ass?"  
  
He stood and stepped closer to her. His hand twitched in the direction of her   
waist, but was controlled. His body glistened from the sweat of his earlier   
vision. The last time Cecilia had seen him like this...Well, she didn't want to   
think about that.  
  
"I wasn't prepared..."  
  
"For what?" She struggled to maintain her calm rational voice.  
  
"For you..." His eyes darted from her mouth to her eyes. The look most men get   
when they're about to kiss the woman in front of them shone on his face. He leaned   
forward, but managed to pull away at the last moment. An expression of uncertainty   
fell upon his features. It caused Cecilia to breath sharply, almost with an air of   
disappointment.   
  
Still close enough to brush his lips against hers, yet not, he whispered to her.   
"I answered your questions. You can go to sleep now right? Go to sleep..."  
  
Dumbfounded, she merely nodded and waited for him to separate himself from her.   
His hand brushed against her waist to rest against the small of her back. He   
turned her and lightly pushed her toward the door. She turned her head, as she   
neared the exit, to see the remnants of the faintest of grins before leaving his   
presence and making her way to her room.  
  



	12. A Fight For Resolution

Chapter 18   
A Fight For Resolution   
  
  
There was a rustle as Cecilia adjusted in her bed. She had been awake for half an hour now…waiting…thinking. Wufei's words   
flowed through her mind again. The kiss wasn't a waste of time. He hadn't been prepared for her. Why would he need to be   
prepared for her? Why did he look as if was about to kiss her again…then change his mind? Was he afraid of something? What   
was he afraid of?   
  
Cecilia let her eyes make designs on the ceiling. The shapes twisted and turned creating fanciful creatures out of the   
shadows. Slowly, her mind began to feel like it was floating. Her body grew light as her eyelids grew heavy. Once more, she   
drifted into sleep.   
  
* * *   
  
"Has anyone seen Wufei?" The bustle of the lunch crowd moved busily around a hungry Duo.   
  
Cecilia sat beside a famished blonde Arabian as Duo scooted beside a silently ravished Japanese. Everyone shook their heads   
at the American's question before beginning the annihilation of their cafeteria food.   
  
"Man…I didn't see him at Breakfast either," Duo sighed and dug in to his meal.   
  
"Skipping breakfast isn't exactly a crisis Duo…" Heero managed to interrupt his eating ritual.   
  
"I know that! But, you know how Wufei is. He has his schedule. He always eats breakfast. This just isn't like him…"   
  
"Duo's right. This is odd for Wufei, but let's not make a big fuss out of it yet. Maybe he's just not feeling well."   
Everyone nodded at Quatre and returned to their plates.   
  
* * *   
  
"Trowa…have you seen Wufei?" Cecilia's eyes narrowed with concern. He didn't come to dinner either. That was very odd.   
  
The Spaniard shrugged. He put his hand on her shoulder. His expression said, "don't worry too much." With that, he quickly   
continued his way down the hall to finish whatever job he had been appointed to do.   
  
Cecilia sighed, "Where is he…?" She recalled when she and Duo tried to find him in his room. They knocked, but no one   
opened the door. They tried calling, but no one answered. It was too early in the search to break down the door. It   
was so odd that he couldn't be found. He probably was in his room. But why wouldn't he open the door when they knocked.   
It wasn't like him. If he didn't want them around, he would have ranted and raved about it. This was certainly odd…   
  
* * *   
  
Wufei walked upon the calm waters of meditation. A dense fog enveloped everything around him. Boldly, the Chinese wandered   
in search of the answers to his questions. The fog got thicker.   
  
Tired of wandering, he sat upon the mirror-like sheet of water. He sat cross-legged and let out a loud sigh. Suddenly, he   
felt a presence. Wufei swallowed. He straightened his back and looked up to see, "Meiran…"   
  
* * *   
  
"He didn't come to breakfast again!?" Cecilia fumed. Her plastic fork broke in half causing Duo to jump. He hadn't seen her   
this mad before. "That's it…I'm breaking the door down or something…"   
  
"Let's not get hasty. He's fine. I'm sure he's endured worse." Quatre tried to calm the concerned female.   
  
Cecilia seethed, yet agreed. Her knuckles returned to their normal shade of pale peach. Her fingers dropped the decapitated   
fork causing it to fall upon the table with a plastic clang. She would wait a while longer.   
  
* * *   
  
"I am still in mourning Mieran."   
  
"Then get over it."   
  
"I will not disrespect your death!" Wufei stood. He towered over his former wife with a look of defiance that would   
normally take care of all signs of argument.   
  
"Do I look like I'd be disrespected?!" Mieran rose and glared into the onyx eyes of the man before her. Her hands were   
firmly placed on her hips and her foot tapped against the sheet of mirror-like water. "You need to move on! Get over it!"   
  
"You saw what I almost did to her! Think Mieran! I'm not going to put her in that position again!" He pointed to a suddenly   
present picture of Cecilia through the fog. The brunette was curled upon the floor. Tears flowed down her sick looking face.   
Wufei stared at the picture with disgust before returning his glare to his wife.   
  
"Take the hint! She loves you!" A feminine Chinese hand pointed to a nonexistent prom-like picture of the couple currently   
under question. The red and gold Chinese dress showed off Cecilia's figure as Wufei stood behind her attempting to ignore   
the affect of her perfume on his senses.   
  
"I am still mourning you and I will not put her through my frustrations! End of discussion!" He closed his eyes and crossed   
his arms over his chest in an effort to show off his stubborn pride.   
  
"Wanna fight about it…?" Mieran narrowed her eyes and took up a defensive stance.   
  
"Fine! Whoever wins is correct!" The two lunged at each other.   
  
* * *   
  
Hazel eyes stared at the cold steel door. The thought hadn't escaped her. Break down the door and her questions would be   
answered. The other pilots kept telling her he'd be fine. Even if it wasn't normal behavior for Wufei, he'd be fine. Don't   
worry so much. She looked at the door again with sad eyes. The artificial sun was setting for the third night of his absence.   
She just knew he was in his room. She didn't know how. She just knew. He had to be there.   
  
She held her ear to the door. No sounds coming from within. Her feet carried her a few steps away as she stared at it again.   
Her back came in contact with the wall and she slid down to rest herself on the floor. All this worrying was making her head   
ache. She leaned her head against the wall and let it fall to the side as her eyes kept watch on the door.   
  
* * *   
  
Wufei dove at his wife. His foot nearly crashed into her chest when she moved just at the right moment. He landed and turned   
to face his opponent. Both fighters bore the cuts and bruises of a battle that had gone on for some time. Both were tired   
beyond recognition. They took shallow breaths to calm their nerves. It wasn't working.   
  
"You're still fast."   
  
"Because I'm right…"   
  
"You don't know what you're talking about woman!" He leapt into the air for another kick, which was once again gracefully   
dodged.   
  
"Give it up Wufei! I'm dead! She's alive! She loves you!" Behind Mieran appeared an image of Cecilia asleep against the   
wall opposite Wufei's room. The Chinese straightened his back. His guard dropped momentarily. 'Her neck is going to get   
so stiff like that. She always does the stupidest things…'   
  
He balled his fists and shook his head. "You're trying to trick me woman! She'd never do that! She hates me! I tried to   
rape her!"   
  
A vision of Cecilia looking pale and sickened as she curls into herself on the floor. Tears stream down her face. A blurred   
image of Wufei looking just as pale as he folds in on himself in the opposite corner of the room.   
  
"And she forgave you for that, you dumbass!" Meiran lunged at her husband. She took him by surprise with a blow to the head.   
Wufei teetered. He shook his head. "She's worried about you and you've got your head so far up your ass that you don't even   
notice it! Open your eyes Wufei! I'm dead! I'm not coming back! She's alive! Think for once you idiot!"   
  
Wufei felt his head swimming. He took up his fighting stance again, but let it fall. His knees gave out as he tumbled to   
the ground to sit in a defeated position. His expression was that of a lost man. "Meiran…"   
  
"I win…Give it up Wufei." She offered her hand to help him. He stubbornly denied her help. "You better not forget about   
me…but don't dwell on it too much. Get up and get over it." She turned and began her journey back to the afterlife without   
another look back at her former husband.   
  
His hand reached for her. His mouth formed words he couldn't pronounce. She was going away again. Ghostly tears streamed   
down his face. He balled his fists and stared at the path of fog that followed his wife on her journey. Recklessly, he   
stood and began to follow her. A mirror of fog stood in his path. It bore the image of the sleeping girl. Instinctively,   
his hand reached out to stroke her face. His face softened as a rare smile fell upon his lips. For the last time, his eyes   
watched the fog that was Mieran's path fade into the darkness of placid meditation. He turned to retrace his steps toward   
consciousness.   
  
* * *   
  
Duo stopped when he saw the sleeping girl on the floor in front of Wufei's room. 'She was here all night?' He crouched in   
front of her and smiled before nudging at her slack form.   
  
With a start, she woke half expecting to see Heero there to scold her for taking up space in such a narrow hallway. However,   
a pair of sympathetic violet eyes presented themselves instead.   
  
"Morning!" The owner of the eyes chirped.   
  
"Duo? What're…?" Cecilia rubbed her neck and watched as Duo's smile grew.   
  
His hand reached up to sift through his braid. "I thought you might want to borrow these. It's been three days now and I   
hate seeing you so worried…especially about Wufei of all people."   
  
Cecilia let her neck pop as she grunted an appreciative acceptance. Suddenly, she was handed the tools she would need to   
get through the door by force.   
  
"If anyone asks, I'll be quiet. Okay?" When she nodded, he helped her up and left.   
  
Cecilia stared at the tools in confusion. Turning, she tried to call for Duo to help her. She didn't know how to use the   
tools after all. Unfortunately, he was long gone. She'd have to wing it. Unsure of herself, she maneuvered the tools around   
and in the lock. It was no use. She didn't know how to use them. Sighing, she stared at the door and back to the tools. Her   
mind drifted. She had often wondered why such a high tech station had such normal doors in their living quarters. They   
didn't slide automatically like the other doors did. They opened on a hinge.   
  
Cecilia's eyes widened. "Wait…" One of the tools Duo gave her was a small screwdriver. She smiled. Duo knew all along that   
she didn't know how to use the pick.   
  
* * *   
  
Slowly, she stepped inside and let her eyes adjust to the darkness. Her gaze traveled from shadow to shadow looking for the   
person she wanted to find. "Wufei…?"   
  
A figure limply continued to rest in the middle of the room. His back was rigid. His legs were crossed. His eyes half closed.  
He looked as if he were in an unnatural sleep, as if he were ill or drugged. Cecilia rushed to his side. She took note of   
the unkempt appearance of his stiffly relaxed body. Almost afraid to touch him, she tapped his shoulder as she whispered his   
name. Nothing happened. Thus, her attempts became more bold. Eventually, she began to shake him mercilessly. Nothing seemed   
to work. Her head bowed in frustration.   
  
"Wake up you idiot!" She shook him again. Slowly, his body sank from his rigid position so that he lay upon the floor. His   
meditative state, however, remained. Cecilia followed suit with an exasperated sigh. She stared at the ceiling. 'What do I   
do now?'   
  
The fog began to lift as Wufei followed his path back to the land of consciousness. His eyes fluttered momentarily. There   
was a body next to him…and he was on the floor. Ever so slightly, he turned his head to see Cecilia. His mouth opened in   
shock at the worried look on her face.   
  
"Have you been here all night?"   
  
At the sound of the voice, Cecilia jumped. She sat up and looked down to see Wufei fully awake. Her eyes nearly bulged out   
of her sockets at the sight of him.   
  
"I was so worried about you! Don't ever do that again!" Her hand made a beeline toward his face only to be stopped by his   
quick reflexes. Wufei sat up.   
  
"You were really worried about me Cecilia…?"   
  
"Well…yeah! Of course I was! I…uh…"   
  
He gave her a nod. "Thank you…for worrying about me…"   
  
Hazel eyes opened wide. She hadn't been expecting him to say anything like that. It was odd to hear a thank you coming from   
such a man. It didn't sound right.   
  
"I would like to try…I need to move on…Will you help me…?" Cecilia's mouth went slack. If she hadn't been expecting a thank   
you, she really hadn't been expecting him to say that! Nonetheless, she smiled and nodded. She didn't want to ask him why or   
pressure him on what changed his mind. That might break what ever it was he was trying to say, so she remained quiet and   
waited for him to respond.   
  
"I thought you might agree." He turned. His onyx eyes pierced through pools of shadowed hazel. He was rewarded with a soft   
smile. Slowly, he managed to respond with his own unpracticed grin.   
  
"Where do we start…?" It was his turn to be surprised. She took his hand in hers and watched his face react.   
  
"I think this is a pretty good start." 


	13. A New Beginning

Epilogue:   
A New Beginning   
  
Cecilia rose from the ground to tower over Wufei. "Now…you haven't   
eaten for three days. We're going out to eat. You're getting a very   
big meal. Understand?"   
  
The Chinese picked himself up off the floor. He stood opposite her.   
"And how do you suppose you'll be paying for this very big meal?"   
  
"I've got money. I'm feeding you. End of discussion." She placed her   
hands on her hips indicating that there were to be no arguments about   
this.   
  
"I'll pay. I'm the man. I pay."   
  
"Have it your way…as long as you eat, I'm fine."   
  
He grunted in response only to be poked by Cecilia. "And another thing.  
You're taking a shower. I refuse to go on a date with a stinky man."   
  
A still unnatural grin graced his features. "I should say the same to   
you."   
  
"I agree. I'll meet you in here then." She turned and stalked out of   
Wufei's room to attend to her hygiene needs.   
  
Wufei watched her leave. His mouth still wore a small grin as he   
entered the bathroom to begin his shower. Life would certainly be   
interesting now that she was permanently in it with him. 


End file.
